Campaigning

[Androcles]

We are running a campaign to persuade our County Council (Bucks, the library closure champions) not to partially close our local library. A small number of libraries are bearing the brunt of the cuts of which ours is one. If they shared the cuts more fairly they could still meet their budgetary target without having to close ours (or the others) for an extra day, although hours would have to be cut. They have also kept quiet about a new super-library they are having built in one of the major towns which will swallow resources.

We are doing all the usual things, getting people to fill in the council's biased consultation document, letters to papers, Library "use or lose it" day, letters to councillors and petitions both online and on paper. We have also been on local radio. Anybody got any bright ideas for other things we could do to catch their attention and persuade them they are wrong? We need to keep the journalists interested! All suggestions welcome!

[dot.hawkes]

You may be wise to contact ytour local Family and Local History Societies, whose members need the resources bringing out to rural libraries where possible, not centralisation. i used to be a member of the Bucks fhs too.
http://www.bucksfhs.com/

[saxy_jag]

Get some authors involved - the more famous, the better. Once you have, then get on to the press and let them know who's coming. In fact, any local celebrity could lend weight to what you're doing.

Your best bet would be to contact individual authors via their websites and explain what's happening.

Also, have you lobbied your MP?

Good luck - we've been in a similar situation. We had three small branches close last year. Borrowers from one are still campaigning to get it reinstated even though our lease expired on the building six months ago!