Recently, Labour supporters have been lamenting that many libraries are likely to close - and I feel the same. They are a valuable, social asset.Even so they have rather 'over-egged the pudding' of their argument in lame claims that this will stop the poor 'getting access to an education'.
The percentages of a population who today use libraries is quite tiny and education today is more likely to come through the computers which so many libraries have installed rather than shelf upon shelf of largely unread books.
Furthermore, Labour should see that library closures came about from its dual insanity of 'letting bankers off the leash' combined with madcap, public spending policies.
Perhaps a partial solution would be to have smaller buildings, with fewer staff where people without computers at home can access the wealth of knowledge found online.
The saddest thing about library closures is that it is more likely to affect 'those of a certain age' who are determined never to use computers.
