Save Newcastle Libraries - public meeting with David Almond

 

SAVE NEWCASTLE LIBRARIES - Public Meeting

 

Tuesday 20 November, 7pm

St John's Church hall, Grainger Street, Newcastle

Called by Coalition of Resistance

SPEAKERS: Alan Gibbons, award-winning children’s author; Paul Gilroy, branch secretary of Newcastle Unison; top local author David Almond.

Chaired by Clare Harwood, vice chair of Tyne and Wear Coalition of Resistance.

Here is Tony Dowling's letter, which was published in Wednesday's Evening Chronicle:

 

Dear Editor,

 

Appalled as I was to read about planned library closures in Newcastle, I was equally delighted

to see the swift response from a wide range of authors, including a number of lo

cal writers

(“Top authors back our Save Our Libraries campaign,” Chronicle 12th November).

They are correct to highlight the vital role libraries play in our culture, the life of our communities,

and in lifelong learning.

As local author David Almond pointed out, “a library is one of humankind’s

greatest inventions,” and we cannot just stand by and allow them to be destroyed.

The Chronicle's Save Our Libraries campaign is right: libraries are an enormously important

resource which we should treasure.

The threatened closures are a result of deep spending cuts imposed by the Tory-led

government which is savaging public services. Instead of destroying valuable public services

we should be pursuing the super-rich tax cheats and making them pay their share.

These cuts are not necessary. There are alternatives.

How many libraries could be paid for by the billions handed out in bankers' bonuses every year?

Anti-cuts campaign group Coalition of Resistance is initiating a public meeting with award-winning

children's author Alan Gibbons to promote the campaign to save Newcastle's libraries. The

meeting is at 7pm on Tuesday 20th November at St John's Church Hall, Grainger Street.

Everyone who cares about libraries, our culture and the life of our communities should come

along and make their voices heard!

Yours faithfully,

Tony Dowling

Chair, Coalition of Resistance – Tyne & Wear

 

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