Fight for libraries is a community effort

The people who have come out in such numbers to show support for their local libraries in defiance of his axe are not “glitterati” unconcerned with the plight of the disadvantaged.

It is precisely to protest against the threat presented by the closure of libraries to the disabled and elderly that they came out to make their case.

Our library in Botley is valued by Philip Pullman, who is a stalwart member of the local community and supports many community initiatives. Why should he not make his point without Mr Mitchell sneering?

Besides, the lines are not drawn as Mr Mitchell asserts.

If the cuts are spread over all the libraries, with the closure of none, then the council should actually save money compared with the costs saved by closing so many.

This is because the council will be faced with a massive increase in the bill for concessionary bus fares if elderly people make extra bus journeys to the surviving libraries.

If the libraries were run by volunteers, there would be a massive amount of local fundraising needed.

There is only a limited amount of money that most people can give in these hard times, so either the libraries would fail or other charities would suffer.

And it is on the efforts of such volunteer charities that the Big Society depends.

Costs would inevitably fall back on to the public purse in all sorts of ways.

Nor has it dawned on Mr Mitchell that, with so many pubs and post offices forced to close, many libraries are now the hubs of their communities – and centres of the activity and interaction that the Big Society is supposed to promote.

But, most sadly of all, Mr Mitchell does not understand that the recent library events were organised and attended by just the sort of people whom his party must recruit, if they are to make anything of their plans for a Big Society.

This is society and community spirit in action. And it looks pretty big to me!

Martin Roberts, Stone Close, Botley, Oxford