Saturday 4 December 2010

Why libraries are important

For the want of a library, a book was lost.
For the want of a book, a reader was lost.
For the want of a reader, a story was lost.
For the want of a story, empathy was lost.
For the want of empathy, understanding was lost.
For the want of understanding, an idea was lost.
For the want of an idea, a future was lost.
For the want of a future, everything was lost.
And all for the want of a library.


Please take a moment to read the following thoughts on the future of our libraries:

Alan Gibbons
Candy Gourlay and Teri Terry
KM Lockwood
Keren David
Jon Mayhew
Nick Cross
Philip Ardagh
Bryony Pearce
Lucy Coats
Kathryn Evans
Nina Killham
Sarwat Chadda
Nicky Schmidt
Voices for the Library
Mike Brownlow
Julie Day

Finally, this inspiring post by Mary Hoffman, who has been campaigning for AND SAVING libraries for over twenty years.

For a full list of UK libraries under threat, see Public Libraries News

7 comments:

  1. 246 libraries and 17 mobile libraries are currently under threat in the UK. Full list (and map) at http://publiclibrariesnews.blogspot.com/

    It's a long list.

    Please let me know if you know of any cuts I have not covered. Thanks.

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  2. I love this poem Dave. :-)

    You may be interested in http://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk , a national campaign defending public libraries.

    Members of the team are also questioning the cuts being made to libraries and campaigning on a local level in areas such as Gloucestershire, Leeds & Doncaster. We are also on Twitter as @ukpling.

    Thank you - Gary

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  3. Great post, Dave. And we should talk about your suggestion, too. The momentum seems to be building. Let's hope it counts for something. Speak to you soon, Clare.

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  4. Thanks folks. Ian and Gary, I've added your links to my list above.

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  5. Wonderful, Dave. Here's another link for Mary Hoffman's blog today. http://bookmavenmary.blogspot.com/2010/12/are-you-sick-of-hearing-about-libraries.html

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