I FOUND the tone of Keith Mitchell’s letter in yesterday’s Oxford Mail, offensive – like that of all his others to the Press.

I suspect he seeks to divide and rule by encouraging competition for meagre funding between supporters of libraries, youth services and the aged.

In hearing Philip Pullman, Mark Haddon and Kirsty Young speak it has been quite clear to me that they are very aware of the needs of the elderly, the young and the vulnerable in our society.

Their focus is far from narrow. They are campaigning on behalf of those who may not have the means, the opportunity or the confidence to do so.

Testimonials received by the Friends of Bampton Library show how much the service is valued by these people and how much they would lose were it to go entirely.

Someone on a very low income is not likely to be able to travel regularly to Witney for cheerful and patient help with learning to use the Internet, to give them better opportunities in life. Yet that is precisely what our own local branch and librarian was able to offer.

Volunteer-run, community libraries will not work.

If I want to visit a place where the shelves are stocked with other people’s cast-off books, where there is no Internet access and no-one to advise me on printed reference material, I can go to a charity shop.

They do an excellent job, but they are not libraries.

I endorse the views of Martin Roberts (yesterday’s Oxford Mail) calling for reduction of services across the board, and like him hope for full restitution in better times to come.

Lynne Pointer, Bampton