Scottish campaigners: “Libraries must thrive, not survive”
Library campaigners are meeting at Parliament tomorrow, urging the government to “provide money now” to save Scottish library services.
Friends of Scotland’s Libraries, made up of library campaigners across the country, are gathering tomorrow ahead of a debate at Holyrood this week.
There are currently over 30 libraries scheduled for closure across Scotland, which will be addressed at MSP meetings and workshops tomorrow.
A Save Local Libraries members debate received cross-party support after it was submitted by Scottish Greens’ MSP Mark Ruskell.
Save Glasgow Libraries & Glasgow Against Closures’ Colin McGeoch says that a change in library law is needed to provide public consultation, similar to when schools close.
He said: “Friends of Scotland’s Libraries are a new group of Scotland-wide campaigners, campaigning to secure libraries and to stop the annual cycle of government cuts.
Libraries are a soft touch for councils because they are not a core council service – we want to change the law and ensure that libraries thrive, not just survive.”
Some of the current issues include councils at committee meeting’s closing or reducing library services without due consultation or the awareness of elected councillors.
Tomorrow’s campaigners want to ensure that libraries are a local authority core service and that local authorities have a property maintenance programme.
