Congratulations to Gloucester and Somerset public libraries

As many of you may know, Somerset and Gloucester have ruled library cuts unlawful. This means that both councils will need to look at the closures somewhat differently. It was interesting how Cilip, The Guardian and BBC reported this.
Anyhow, congratulations one and all. Especial mention to for one campaignor who said this after the case:-

Gloucestershire residents should never have had to go through this stressful, upsetting and expensive process and serious questions now also need to be answered by the secretary of state Ed Vaizey. It is Mr Vaizey’s duty to intervene when authorities are not meeting their obligations to provide a library service available to all who wish to use it. Why were Gloucestershire County Council allowed to continue down this destructive path? In opposition Mr Vaizey was a vocal critic of library closures yet our many pleas for help have been ignored whilst library users were left to fight this alone – it is clear that he left his convictions at the door on entering office.

Go get 'em........

The decline of the British public library.........

Its pretty sad to see that our elected representative rarely listening to their constituency (but hardly surprising). Therefore, it was sad to read that the good work that Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries. Seems that the 42% cut in the Library budget is been steamrollered through. The response to these closures by some (tory) councillors beggers belief when they were confronted by the effect they would have on a rural community to a :-

“I have read with interest. I do not intend to reply in detail”

Hopefully there maybe some way around this, but it seems not.

By the way, I would like to add to Gary Green's post, when he says the following:-

I’m.....upset about Gloucestershire – I have seen the campaign grow since the first day Johanna Anderson (Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries) highlighted the plans that had been announced on the This Is Gloucestershire site (August 2010, I think) and I have seen the many of the ups and downs. In fact, seeing what was going on in Gloucestershire played an important part in my joining Voices For The Library.

I know this is no consolation for Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries campaigners and all involved, but I have great admiration for all they have tried to do. They deserved so much better than this result.

Jo and the rest have done a fantastic job in attempting to stop the closures. Its cold comfort none the less.