Librarians’ association CILIP has launched a really punchy campaign that The Library Campaign is happy to support.
It states clearly what we all know – that a quality library service is our right. And it’s the law!
It’s good to see CILIP taking such a robust approach – at last.
My Library By Right aims to bring everyone together to campaign for:
(i) The public’s rights to libraries to be recognised and respected
(ii) Public libraries to be treated as the statutory services they are
(iii) The DCMS (Department for Culture, Media & Sport) to carry out their legal duties under the 1964 Public Libraries & Museums Act
(iv) Statutory guidance from DCMS for local authorities on their duties under the 1964 Act.
CILIP says:
“The government and local authorities have a legal responsibility to provide you with a quality library service that meets your needs.
By statute, local authorities must provide ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library services and government must oversee and improve libraries.
We will hold the government to account for these legal duties.”
We can all start supporting this campaign straight away.
(i) Sign the petition to government at: https://www.change.org/p/john-whittingdale-hm-government-act-now-to-protect-my-statutory-rights-to-a-quality-public-library-service
(ii) Spread the news on Twitter #MyLibraryByRight
(iii) Visit www.cilip.org.uk/mylibrarybyright for more information, downloadable posters and some useful factsheets on the 1964 Act and other relevant laws.
I’m a regular user of the library and it’s a disgrace that they are under threat of closure.
They are a source of education and learning and worth keeping.