Libraries are so important
From: Sophie Adams, Bawtry Road, Sheffield.
REGARDING Sheffield’s volunteer libraries, libraries are a crucial public service.
They don’t only provide books, reading opportunities and IT services for people, they also cover a wide spectrum of other services.
People go to libraries to get information about housing, social services and much more.
Professionally-staffed libraries form a focal point for communities, and form part of the civic structure of the UK.
They also are part of the democratic process, with councillors and campaign groups meeting in them.
Professionally-staffed libraries are also more important than ever in this time of austerity because they are one of the few places people are not under pressure to spend money.
Libraries and library staff stand for free and equal access to information for all.
By default any councillors who close libraries or hand them over to volunteers are opposing free and equal access to information for all.
Usage drops when libraries are handed to volunteers like in Sheffield, so one of the ways of closing libraries and avoiding blame for their closure is handing them to volunteers.
Literacy and a love of reading are essential for breaking the cycle of deprivation across Sheffield and elsewhere. Professionally-staffed libraries are essential for achieving this.
From: Martin Vaughan, Stannington Road, Sheffield.
ON visiting Doncaster Central Library last month, I was told that out of 25 libraries in the town, only four have professional library staff to run them, the rest of them having being turned into a volunteer-free-for-all which puts even Sheffield Council’s volunteer-running of libraries to shame.
We live in a world where millions upon millions is being poured into rebuilding city centres with mixed results and councils such as Sheffield can spend thousands taking tree protesters to court in vain attempts to silence criticism of some of its bad decisions.
Yet professionally-staffed libraries are not a priority.
Doncaster and Sheffield councils’ should hang their head in shame.
Ditch your vanity projects to save some cash. Doncaster and Sheffield both deserve professionally-staffed libraries in every community.