Villagers in Bulkington are ready to read the riot act over plans to close their local library.
They have launched a campaign to keep the axe away from Bulkington library, which is one of 16 listed as “no longer sustainable” by Warwickshire County Council.
“It is a terrible, sad and wrong decision and one that we will fight all the way,” said Darrell Buckley, who is chairman of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Older People’s Forum and organiser of a “save our library” petition.
“We’ve already attracted lots of signatures and we are planning a determined cause of action.
“This is another go at the elderly, who use the library as a place to go for a read and to meet people. It is basically a community centre.”
Bulkington library was purpose-built by the county council and opened in March 1976.
“It replaced a little brick hut and there has been a library in the village since the year dot,” said senior library assistant Sandy Darlaston.
“It came as a real shock when we heard the news on Wednesday that Bulkington was one of those under threat.
"We knew there were going to be cuts in the county library service, but we thought that Bulkington would be safe, because of our successful figures.
“There are 6,300 residents in the village and on average we issue more than 3,000 books a month. Compared with six other libraries in the county, in areas of similar population size, we are the second busiest.”
Mrs Darlaston, who lives in the neighbouring hamlet of Ryton, has worked for the local authority library service since 1989 and has been based at the Bulkington branch for the last five years.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OF THIS STORY
This is the building they knocked down to make way for the present library:
Spoiler:
