National Libraries Day

Today is National Libraries Day in the UK. Public libraries are increasingly under fire in this country and many have already been closed as part of austerity measures - taking a valuable resource out of the community. Therefore today is a good day to remember just why they are so valuable, even in our world of broadband home internet and kindles, and why a free library service, open to all (regardless of wealth or background) is crucial to any civilised and fair society. If I can't convince you, just look at the poster :)



Also, check out the extra chapter the novelist Julian Barnes has written to his 1998 satire, 'England, England', entitled The Defence of the Book, especially for National Libraries Day.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/03/julian-barnes-defence-of-the-book