July 30, 2013 4.25 pm This story is over 140 months old

Save Lincolnshire Libraries campaign gathers over 1k signatures

Save Lincs Libraries: The campaign mounted in opposition to plans to close 30 libraries across Lincolnshire has gathered more than 1,000 signatures of support.
Under Lincolnshire County Council proposals, mobile library services would replace rural libraries across the county.

A campaign mounted in opposition to plans to close 30 libraries across Lincolnshire has gathered more than 1,000 signatures of support.

The petition is part of the Save Lincolnshire Libraries campaign, which acts as the “voice of local communities all around Lincolnshire” affected by the proposed cuts.

More than 1,100 people signed the online petition at the time of writing.

Leah Warriner-Wood, a campaigner for Save Lincolnshire Libraries, said: “Everyone is thrilled at the first big benchmark, and the petition is really flying now.

“Campaigners were out at North Hykeham library gathering signatures on the paper version, where not one single person was in agreement with the council’s proposals.

“There is a meeting of the Ermine sub-group on July 30 at 7pm at St John’s Hall (on Laughton Way in Lincoln) plus another at Birchwood on August 5 (also 7pm, at Boiler House, Woodfield Avenue) and a special public meeting of North Hykeham Town Council the following week.

“Since Michael Morpurgo’s statement of support was made public other authors and public figures have been encouraged to get involved.

“We’ve had additional direct comments of support from authors Michael Rosen, Malorie Blackman and William Hussey, and the campaign has been re-tweeted by many more, including Sir Terry Pratchett, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and historian Lucy Worsley.”

Campaigners hope to collect 2,000 signatures, and directly voice the discontent towards the Lincolnshire County Council members.

Due to a £2 million cut in funding, the County Council have had to look at ways of streamlining a number of services, such as the library provision.

The council is now consulting the idea of keeping just 15 out of 45 “static” libraries as they are, moving more services online.

The other 30 static libraries will either move to part-time openings, staffed with more volunteers and community input, or closed completely in favour of a mobile service, operating 126 stops.

The proposals would also lead to some 170 job losses.

In Lincoln, proposals indicate Lincoln Central Library will remain the same, but Ermine Library, Birchwood Library, Boultham Library and Bracebridge Library will be closed in favour of a mobile service or community-run set up.

This will also affect North Hykeham Library, Skellingthorpe Library and Nettleham Library.