Literacy news
New shadow libraries minister condemns closures
4 Jan 2012
Recently appointed shadow libraries minister Dan Jarvis has condemned closures of libraries and said that now is the time to harness the opportunities libraries offer and use them as ladders of social mobility and personal development.
Jarvis' words criticising culture minister Ed Vaizey's inaction were delivered to the minister in an open letter sent by the Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries campaign group. The letter has over 450 signatories including authors such as Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson, Sarah Waters, Joanna Trollope, Kate Mosse, Tracy Chevalier, Mo Hayder, Anthony Browne, Anne Fine, Michael Rosen and Michael Morpurgo.
Jarvis explained:
Like any institution, particularly one funded by the public purse, if libraries are to maintain their purpose and place in the 21st century then they must progress and modernise. But this is not a mandate to rebuild every library from scratch, or for mindless closures. Instead, it presents an opportunity to be visionary about the place of a library in a modern Britain.
Read more at The Bookseller
