to think that Nicky Morgan should check if there ARE libraries before telling kids to join them?

[TalkinPeace]

Nicky Morgan wants all kids to join their Local Library
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33980452

but does not seem to notice that Libraries are closing all over the country
and the number of actual books some have in stock has halved over the last 5 years.

Maybe if MPs had shorter summer holidays, their brains would get less addled during the long break.

typo alert

sale of their stock

TalkinPeace, absolutely right, though even those rich people who can afford to buy books will lose access to more different books.

Libraries really do show up the benefits of a communal public service and put the lie to the modern myth that the private sector is so much more efficient and less wasteful.

I think people vastly underestimate how valuable reading widely as a child can be to building up skill at reading quickly with good comprehension.

An acquaintance was never allowed to read for pleasure as a child. This has dogged them through higher education - despite obvious intelligence, they struggle with absorbing the large amount of required reading in their field.

Yes, Michael Rosen, you are allowed to skim the threads of Mumsnet before writing your handsomely paid articles
www.theguardian.com/education/2015/sep/01/morgan-child-library-ticket

I gave up with our library for DS, too many disappointments when he realised when we got home that books had pages missing, pop-ups/flaps torn out, somebody else's child had scribbled all over the pictures. It was just too difficult explaining and we ended up not being able to read at least half of what we brought home. The stock was also really small and we had had many of the books in quite a short time and there were very few new ones. Also I found that the supermarkets did cheap offers on new books as 3 fors and the book people visited my work. It seemed pointless. Impossible to read quietly in the kids corner as many other parents let kids run amok.

For myself I have had a kindle for years and gave up on library as new releases had such a long waiting list it could take up to a year and a half to get the book you wanted. I used to love the library as a child but I just don't bother anymore.