News / News Wire
March planned to save Westbury library
Residents of Westbury-on-Trym will be queuing up, withdrawing books and then marching peacefully around the village before returning them, in a polite stand against planned library closures.
Protesters aim to “demonstrate how well used” Westbury-on-Trym Library is and “how passionately they feel about keeping it open” after the council earmarked the building as one of seven which could close under a cost-cutting review.
“This popular and successful library means a great deal to the community and deserves strong support,” said local author Helen Dunmore, an Orange Prize-winner.
According to campaigners, Westbury-on-Trym library is the fourth busiest for borrowings out of the 28 libraries run by Bristol City Council.
Geoff Gollop, Conservative ward councillor who is leading the Westbury the campaign, said: “We refuse to accept the Council’s proposal that our library should close. Simply to recommend closure, and to ignore the 4,000 regular users is not acceptable and we want that message to be heard loud and clear.”
The peaceful protestors will be meeting at the library in Falcondale Road on Saturday from 9am and the event is expected to last until approximately 11am.
The council announced in February that seven libraries in Bristol were under threat of closure with some 40 full time equivalent library staff who may lose their jobs.
The council is now in the final month of a four-month consultation before a decision is taken in July.
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