I recently met with campaigners protesting proposed closures to rural libraries across Perth and Kinross. Culture Perth and Kinross have put forward proposals to close four rural libraries in the area – Auchterarder, Birnam, Comrie and Scone. Culture Perth and Kinross runs libraries, museums and other cultural services on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council. It is seeking to reduce its budget by 12% over the next three years.
In my view, libraries are a key part of our communities and their benefits wide reaching. As well as access to knowledge, libraries provide resources to people, access to technology, support services and health and social care information. They are community hubs and many of them act as warm spaces for people to go. Their benefits are massive.
As Walter Cronkite once said: “Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”
