On Thursday 19 October UNISON members will be standing up for our public library service, holding events and calling for an end to the seemingly endless assault on our libraries.
In Southend, we know how important libraries and library workers are to our community. Libraries are a hub and haven in our communities. They offer a place for people to work, relax, discover and think. They are a source of local knowledge and history and give everyone access to books, DVDs, music and more, for free or at a very low cost.
But libraries also do a lot more than lend books. Many hold events, anything from story time for toddlers to yoga classes for adults. Library workers help people look for work, advise on using IT, organise talks by authors and so much more.
In Southend, we had a massive community campaign that helped stop drastic cuts. However the incredible work that libraries do every day to support their local communities is under threat again because of unfair Government cuts to spending on local services.
Libraries have been hit particularly hard by cuts: at least 500 have closed since 2010 and 8,000 library workers have lost their jobs.
The effects of these cuts – closures, redundancies, library privatisation and loss of expertise – are devastating for libraries and for the people who depend on them.
We need to make sure that library services are protected so that communities can enjoy and benefit from them now and in the future.
So we are asking you to tell us what your library does for you so we can let everyone know how important it is to protect libraries everywhere.
Show your support:
- join your local library if you haven’t already, and make sure you visit and use the great range of services on offer
- tell us what your library does for you, using this online form
- take a photo or make a short video that best shows the most helpful or unusual thing your library does and post it on Twitter or Facebook, using the hashtag #SOSlibraries
- fill out the ‘Tell us your Story’ form on the Save Our Local Services campaign page