Stop the closure of Belfast libraries

Fight the Assembly cutbacks

Informational Meeting
Thursday 25 February at 7:30pm Andersonstown Leisure Centre, Belfast

FIGHT THE CUTS, NO TO LIBRARY CLOSURES!

Libraries NI – the board responsible for governing libraries across the North have stated that they want a review into the possibility of closing 14 libraries in the greater Belfast area. A period of ‘consultation’ will run until the 5th March on whether these libraries remain open or are shut down.

The board uses jargon and claims that some of these libraries aren’t ‘fit for purpose’ and therefore draw the conclusion that these libraries should be closed indefinitely. The reality is that a lot of these libraries are in bad condition due to years of under investment – so instead of investing in 21st century libraries that are fit for purpose Libraries NI draw the conclusion that these public libraries should be closed.

What doesn’t seem to register in the heads of people making these decisions is the huge impact that these cuts will have on the lives of people who depend on the service of the library and its staff. The libraries penciled for closure would amount to a 45% reduction in library services within the Belfast region, these services are used by thousands of people – students, those who are retired and by various other people in the community.

This ideology of cutbacks and viciously attacking the public sector is not only confined to the board of Libraries NI but is supported by all political parties in the assembly. None of them raised a whimper when Sammy Wilson stated that 370 million needed to be cut from the public sector.

Politicians are using the recession as an excuse to plough through massive cutbacks in the public sector. They h old their hands up and claim that Stormont has to make these cuts as the money isn’t there. This is a blatant lie. When you consider the millions giving to private consultants and the billion given to invest NI then there obviously is the money there to ensure that one penny is not cut from the public sector. The will however is not.

.NIPSA has already called protests outside Ballyhackamore libray but what we need is resistance from all quarters where there are threats of closures. By uniting up we can take on the board pushing these cuts through and also the politicians who support them.

Join the Save Our Libraries Campaign, phone 07596114612