Your local library – and local community – needs you

Today I join hundreds of campaigners from across the country to warn the government that support for libraries is long overdue.

UNISON is a founding member of Speak up for Libraries alongside the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI), Voices for the Library, The Library Campaign, Campaign for the Book and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). The government is not the only coalition going.

We are demanding that the government takes four simple steps to protect libraries;

• enforce the law that says local authorities must provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient service.
• acknowledge that libraries are important to people – especially in a recession.
• a long term plan to give libraries a future, with a clear vision for their development and standards of service.
• ensure that councils have enough money to provide quality services that are well planned and sufficiently funded.

Our first challenge is to get the government to admit that there is a problem. Today, Ed Vaizey, government Minister with responsibility for libraries will give evidence to the Select Committee on their future – he is denying a problem exists.

This is blinkered to say the least. In the last year alone more than 100 libraries have closed, been transferred to a social enterprise or turned over to volunteers. A UNISON survey shows that the libraries that remain open are being pared to the bone. 80% of our library members and activists in England reported cuts to book budgets, dropping to 44% in Wales and 40% in Scotland. Trained librarians are also being thrown onto the dole with job cuts reported ( 81%, in England, 60% in Scotland and 44% in Wales) and opening hours. Mobile, outreach and home library services are also facing cuts across the board.

For the millions of people that use libraries across the country this is a tragic loss and in Tory style it is those with the least that will pay the price. The hardworking majority need libraries more than ever before. Parents are struggling to put food on the table, let alone buy books so it is hardly surprising that one in three children do not own a book. The unemployed also need libraries for job searching and help with CVs. Libraries are at the heart of communities for many others too – for parents and toddlers or school children who join homework clubs. Many elderly or disabled people look forward to seeing the mobile library come down their street – it is a lifeline they will miss when cuts shut it down.

The Tory-led coalition should not be allowed to get away with consigning libraries – and improvements in literacy rates – to the history books. Join us in Speaking up for libraries by emailing your MP. You could also follow our campaign on Facebook and Twitter, and use the #librarieslobbytwitter hashtag

Your local library – and local community – needs you.

Dave Prentis is the General Secretary of Unison.