373 libraries plus 32 mobiles currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)

News
Following on from the Daily Mail’s attack on Roy Clare yesterday, the Guardian reports that the shadow Culture Minister has asked the Government to condemn his remarks that libraries are for the white middle classes.  He is also criticized in the leading article in the Independent and almost universally in all the comments attached to all the articles mentioned.  This is what library campaigners think of his comments.

In addition, I am also starting to see widespread impatience at Ed Vaizey’s somewhat hand’s off approach to closures.  There is even a new word – “Evaizive” – for the stock answers emanating from his office to all protesting emails/letters.

#savelibraries was a top trending topic worldwide on Twitter today – for those unaware of the joy of tweeting, I should explain that this is a major achievement and shows the importance of libraries amongst those who are very au fait with computers and who do not want them preserved in aspic.

Gloucestershire – Horrible Histories illustrator supports campaign and provides cartoon – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Campaigners smash 5000 petition target – Wilts and Glos Standard
Milton Keynes – People power empties threatened library – ABC (Australia)
Milton Keynes – “It just went mad” Emptying the Shelves at Stony – Independent
Milton Keynes – Pictures, insider description and more links on Stony campaign – About My Area
Somerset – baying crowd at meeting to save Shepton Mallet Library – Shepton Mallet People
Somerset – Glastonbury “protest festival” – BookSeller
Suffolk – Save Leiston Library 
Worcestershire – trying to keep Pershore Library at the heart of the community – Worcester News

Books for all, not just the wealthy – leading article in the Independent
Keep on campaigning, we’ve not won anything yet – Alan Gibbons
Overdue! The fight to save our libraries begins – Independent
#savelibraries – Use Libraries and Learn Stuff
Privileged and Middle Class? Not Us? – Lauren Smith via Alan Gibbons
Public libraries should get more, not less, funding – Scruffian
Save the libraries … and then what? – Charlotte Gore
Shadow Culture Minister asks government to condemn Roy Clare’s remarks – Guardian
Your free local public library – Laughing Garreteer