Authors, unions join first national protest against UK library cuts

In the UK, librarians, authors and major unions joined a protest march at the British Library to campaign against cuts to library services, reports the Guardian. An estimated 1800 protesters attended the march from the library to Trafalgar Square. Around 340 libraries have closed nationwide since the government began cutting council funding in 2010. Total spending by councils on libraries has fallen by a fifth between 2010 and 2015, according to a government report. Representatives from three public sector unions—Unite, Unison and the Public and Commercial Services union—spoke out against library closures before the march, declaring a ‘national crisis’ in the state of free-to-use, well-stocked and well-staffed libraries, museums and galleries. Children’s laureate Chris Riddell and former children’s laureate Michael Rosen were among the authors joining the protest.

Category: Library news International