Literacy news

Authors call for moratorium on library closures

14 Feb 2011

An open letter to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Culture Minister Ed Vaizey calling for a halt to library closures after the success of last weekend's protests has been signed by high-profile authors including Sarah Waters and Anne Fine.

Others who have signed the letter are Terry Jones, Kathy Lette, Jackie Kay, Malorie Blackman, Philip Pullman and Kate Mosse.  

The letter, written by Alan Gibbons of Campaign for the Book, tells the ministers that the 100 read-ins on Save Our Libraries day showed just how much libraries mean to their communities.

Alan Gibbons said:

"We hoped for a dozen events, but local people took up the call and made it something refreshing, urgent, local and liberating. They have put out a positive message: our libraries, our communities, our right to have a say over their future."

"We call on you to heed the view of the people. Libraries are a vital part of local communities as are trained librarians to staff them. The National Literacy Trust has given evidence that visiting a library makes you twice as likely to be a good reader, the very foundation stone of academic and social achievement. We, the undersigned appeal to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to call a moratorium on library closures now and convene a seminar involving all the major representatives of library users and librarians' organizations."

Research released by the National Literacy Trust on Save our Libraries Day (5 February) confirmed the link between children and young people using public libraries and good reading skills. Download the full research report here.

Read more at The Bookseller 

Tags: Libraries

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