Did you know that over the past decade, 53 public libraries across Scotland have closed their doors for good – without replacement?

The same public libraries which provide essential access to trusted information and education for all, which ignite a lifelong love of reading from early years, and which serve as warm, welcoming spaces where everyone is welcome without any expectation to spend. The same public libraries which, time and again, deliver enormous value to communities across the country, only to find themselves at risk when budgets are debated.

I’ve written to council leaders across Scotland, before crucial budget decisions are made for the next financial year, to remind them what investment in public libraries truly means.

At the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), the advocacy body for Scotland’s network of over 500 public and mobile libraries, we understand the delicate financial situation that councils must navigate but we would urge those considering cuts to their library services to think again. It’s no secret that the cultural sector is under unprecedented pressure but the narrative that austerity measures justify these cuts is shortsighted. This isn’t just a story of diminishing buildings and bookshelves; it’s a story of lives disrupted.

These closures are deeply felt because libraries represent so much more than the sum of their parts. Public........

© Herald Scotland