'Library services are under threat on an unprecedented scale. The past decade has seen 80 libraries close – and many more are threatened. Between 1997 and 2007 the number of books borrowed from UK libraries fell by 34 per cent. And at least 850 professional librarians have lost their jobs as library staff are steadily deskilled' says Donald Morrison writing in Red Pepper on the struggle to save a public library service: http://www.redpepper.org.uk/dont-be-quiet-please/
Morrison acknowledges the campaigning efforts of UNISON branches in areas such as Doncaster, Hampshire, Lewisham and Southampton in opposing library closures.
Libraries are bearing the brunt of the brutal Con Dem austerity regime and the sheer scale of the problem is set out on the excellent Public Libraries News blog which tracks the libraries threatened by cuts across the all UK local authorities (369 libraries plus 29 mobiles currently under threat or recently closed):
http://publiclibrariesnews.blogspot.com/
