Literacy news
Mal Peet cites libraries as the ‘mark of a civil society’
5 Oct 2011
Author Mal Peet has spoken out against politicians who are doing nothing to defend libraries across the country from closure.
Speaking at a fringe debate at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester yesterday (4th October), Peet said, “"The existence of libraries mark us out as a civilised society and are the glue of a community—politicians' talk of community are weasel words unless they act to defend libraries."
Peet was joined on the panel by Scholastic m.d. Alan Hurcombe, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Professionals (CILIP) Annie Mauger, and National Literacy Trust Director, Jonathan Douglas and Damian Collins MP (Chair).
PA chief executive Richard Mollet and ALCS deputy chief executive Barbara Hayes hailed the event as "a great opportunity for Conservative councillors to discuss the issues facing library services around the country, and to hear from authors and publishers about the importance they attach to the maintenance of the public library service".
Read the full story on the Bookseller.
