Sir - The "brazen" element in Mr Hall's letter (Brazen claims on library services being shoe-horned into a reduced space, Letters, March 23) is his blatant distortion of the facts that have been presented to him verbally and by letter.

If I may quote from the letter I sent to him on March 10: "The present division of the library into several separate departments, each with their own service point, will be replaced by a more open and connected series of areas fulfilling all the roles required of a busy main library.

"This will include an excellent local studies and family history section, founded upon the collections and expertise built up over the years in Oxfordshire Studies.

"This will be an integral part of the library, a move which - far from impoverishing provision - will improve the quality of the service on offer to the public. Opening hours of the service will be the same as the rest of the library.

"Although there will still be specialist staff on hand to deal with more complex enquiries, there will be a larger staff base to ensure that the service is no longer vulnerable to unexpected staff shortages.

"And it is expected that many more people will be attracted to find out about the history of their county as a result of the service being more visible.

"Although local studies provision in the new Westgate Library will not occupy as much space as the present Oxfordshire Studies, this will not be a problem.

"Much more efficient use will be made of the space available, and it will still be possible to serve as many users - in fact more - and the collections will not be diminished." If Mr Hall chooses to ignore and twist what he has been told that is up to him, but it is wrong of him to spread unjustified alarm.

Don Seale, Oxfordshire County Council