to think that we NEED libraries? This is horrific.

[StuckInTheMiddleWithYou]

Would MN like to run a campaign on this?

www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/terence-blacker/terence-blacker-hands-off-our-public-libraries-2057131.html

I'd chain myself too,it's the kids whose parents can't afford an endless stream of lovely new books that I'd do it for not my own as I'd find a way to keep their book supply up.

Some parents just can't do that or don't know how to and a library gives kids who never would access to a steady supply of lovely books. In some cases a library will have a massive effect on literacy levels.

I'd also chain myself for new mums,a weekly library trip keeps your foot in the adult world when you'd otherwise go spare.

Mumsnet really need to run a campaign on this,as mothers we need to make sure all children have a free and easy access to good quality books.

How on earth are cuts to this service "bridging the gap between rich & poor","looking after the vulnerable"?

I went to our local library with the kids last Monday and my DP met us there.

Our library is only little but it has "armchair" aerobics for the over 60's every week, an art club for the 5yrs olds and over, Baby story time every fortnight. Even a prayer meeting once a month. The local ramblers all come in for a cuppa after their weekly walk.

Oh and we borrow books.... I love our library. It's a happy fun place.

When I was a kid we lived 25 miles from a bookshop ( no Internet shopping then) but we had 3 libraries in a 5 miles radius from my home. And I belonged to them all and my love of books began sitting on an orange round plastic chair looking at bookshelves wondering what to take home.

I go every two to three weeks with DC - get books out for me and for both DC get out on their own ticket aged 4 and 2.

Both had their own library ticket at 6 months old.

Our library is well used and is a part of the community.

I was in the library last week.

When I was a SAHM I had a Saturday job in a library in a deprived area - it was always heaving. Most of the children didn't have computers at home so had to use the library ones. A lot of them also had parents who didn't speak English so they needed the library staff's help even more.

Libraries are really, really important.

(we live in a two bed flat with three kids)

no library in our town at the moment.
the mobile library visits twice a week but it's during school hours so kids can't go.
There is also no library at the local comprehensive.

Unfortunately I've seen what they want the future to be.

Our village library was threatened with closure, we fought against it and the county council graciously allowed it to stay open - as long as we as a village ran it completely.

Well we did and have done to such a degree of success they want to use us as a model for elsewhere :(

Depresses the hell out of me, and of all the other volunteers. We did it to help our village, not give yet another excuse to chop funds.

I went to the library today. I live in an affluent rural area. The library is well used and used as well as a location for the local schoolchildren to have storytime sometimes.

It's not just poor areas that need libraries. All kids need to get into the habit of reading and develop a love of books. How can they do that if their only exposure is ten minutes in the school library. :(

Also in our library about 50% of users are there because they are using the computers - not everyone has access to the Internet (yes even these days). They may be students, jobseekers or just older people who have retired. And it's a lifeline to them.

Finally, I do not want to live in a world where I cannot go and smell the books in the library.

In our library people use the computers to bid on council houses, so it's not just for teens on facebook

I was in there two days ago.

MN has ran campaigns before. Let girls be girls I remember and wasn't there one on improving care given to women who miscarried?

Could MN maybe stick this issue on the front page? Get some more press coverage of the issue?

Do we have any polticians coming to do webchats soon? If so, we need to make bloody sure this issue is raised.

I'm wondering if it is still possible to submit petitions to no 10 the old fashioned way...

hmmm.

I totally agree with you all but from a political point of view it does make sense in a weird way to axe something that people are really passionate about.

They know that people won't want them to be shut so will volunteer/run as a local initiative. They won't actually lose the service, they will just lose the cost, it will then be deemed a massive 'big society' success.

Now this really interesting to me because I work in the adult education sector. The funding for 'recreational' learning is only guaranteed until the end of 2010/2011 and all I am hearing is about moving this type of learning to libraries and turning it into 'clubs' rather then taught classes.

So if not-for-profit AE organisations like mine go by the wayside and libraries are privatised (i.e. have to make a profit) then where are people going to go for non- accredited learning that removes social isolation and keeps people's minds and bodies fit?

We all go to the library at least once a week.

There are other sites that you can generate a petition on and then post to No10.

"Can every single person on this thread tell me when was the last time they set foot in a library?"

This morning.

We go in roughly once a week. The 3 DC take one or two books out at a time, and I usually take one or two as well. I am currently working my way through their extensive cookbook collection.

After the library we went to the museum, which is also free.

How long till we can no longer do this?

Sorry hadn't read whole thread, said pretty much the same as weblette

I used to work as a library assistant. Libraries are so, so vital. I (and lots of people who I know) will be starting the revolution if this goes ahead.

I'm actually starting to think they are trying to provoke something- maybe to bring in some anti union laws or something, I dunno, who knows how these bastards think?

I was having a little giggle at the SWP today- I'll be joining them at this rate!

Life is going to get seriously miserable for thousands of people soon, and gradually more and more people are going to get further entrenched in poverty. If you know any history at all of social policy, you will be very, very worried.

This is a radical government. They hate the poor. They tolerate people on middle incomes. They think any disadvantages are YOUR fault. Brace yourselves. It's every woman for herself. Make sure you are married to a nice, rich, able bodied white man. Live in a gated community. Leave the country.

TBH I do object to this idea and all the other footling little cuts.

I want to see 25% of all public sector jobs in the top grades cut and 25% straight off the salaries and pensions over £50k in the public sector and as well. Then 10% off all other spending by stopping waste.

The little front line service cuts like these are avoiding the issue of cutting the public sector deficit by cuttin the wage and pension billl and just build up public resistance by targeting front line service cuts.

Lets stop messing about shall we and get on with it.

We go once a week usually, once a fortnight at the mo as still getting to grips w a weekly routine now we have two dc. I do a lot of requests using the online catalogue, both for me and the kids. We often go to collect them and find loads of other books on the shelves. I get novels, local history, cookery etc. DS can choose stories and also factual picture books reflecting obsession of the week (eg pigs) that I'd be unable to justify buying in quantity.

Ours also has a good play area for under threes that I'll use again when dd is old enough in a couple of months.

These sort of cuts have nothing to do with economics, this is Tory ideology come home to roost.

All the blumin petition sites seem to be American. You know wha? I might ask my local library to help me do it.

and i went to the library every week throughout my childhood and teens-i just ate books up. we had lots of books at home but still not enough for me! would have been lost without the library tbh

i think it would just be sheer spite to dismantle the library service, I don't understand it at all

whomovedmychocolate - 'smell the books in the library' .

EveWasFramed72 wrote:
"NO qualifications are needed to be a librarian in this country. "

This is not true. I know because I looked at an ad for a PT librarian in our local paper and daydreamed about what a nice job it would be... but I wasn't sufficiently qualified as my degree isn't in Library Studies.

Books smell like adventures to me. I grew up in libraries!

Evocative of days past. It would be a crime, would it not, to deprive our DC's of this experience?