Library decision condemned in Dorset

Annette Brooke MP condemned Dorset County Council's decision on 21 July to withdraw support from nine community libraries.

She attended and spoke at Dorset County Council’s debate on the future of the Library Service on Thursday, 21 July. She called for the support of Option D, the preferred option for Ad Lib and Dorset County Council’s own Policy Development Panel.

She said “I was so upset that the County Council ignored the wishes of local communities and went for Option B (21-20), which will leave nine community libraries with an uncertain future.”

A few days before, she had celebrated the Summer Reading Challenge at a special House of Commons reception, which will help over 760,000 children enjoy reading throughout the summer holidays.

Annette has been campaigning for support for the Dorset libraries which faced closure arguing that libraries are, and should be, the heart and soul of our communities.

“In my presentation (at Dorset County Council meeting of 21 July) I quoted author Michael Rosen, a patron of the Summer Reading Challenge ‘a trip to the library can be the start of a big adventure’. With the great need to improve our children’s literacy skills it is a nonsense to close libraries when Dorset clearly could make management savings and efficiencies in book purchasing.”