Dear Supporters, Since launching the campaign, a staggering 1, 907 signatures have endorsed it in just 3 days! Having exceeded the threshold of 1, 500 signatures, which is needed for a Council debate in Ealing, I have now downloaded 1, 645 signatures with and without comments (this is the figure I am able to download via Change.Org so far), and sent these to the Democratic Office within Ealing Council. I am now waiting for a response to ascertain if the petition will be debated by the full Council, and if so, when this will be. Thank you to each and every one of you for your signatures and comments, which I have read, as well as the endorsements from Professor Benjamin Zephaniah and Michael Rosen (Children's Novelist & Poet), respectively. Michael Rosen stresses that, "We must save libraries for all our sakes, so that we can find what we want to read, but especially for people who don't have the space or the resources to have access to books, information and a place to meet and talk." It is so touching to read your powerful comments and viewpoints, not just from current and former Ealing Library employees living in Ealing and beyond, but also from men and women up and down the country, who feel passionately about preserving our library services. As punctuated by Lisa from Liverpool, "Library Books saved my life and gave me access to education." Karina from Northampton writes, "Libraries are the life blood and heart of a community." Many of you also repudiate and reject audibly the privatisation of Ealing's Libraries (as with any library around the UK and beyond per se), as expressed powerfully by Alex from Birmingham, "I'm signing because I have had enough of outsourcing our public services to the private sector. Recent history shows us that private companies are not interested in protecting our services, only in lining their pockets. Also, leave our libraries alone...too many have closed...stop this lunacy now!!" While Carol, a former librarian within Ealing, points out that, "Carillion have already run our library service down. Especially with the book stock and moral of staff. Glad I've retired but solidly with ex colleagues in this." I’ve noted your voices from as far away as Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, California, Australia and most parts of the United Kingdom including Scotland, Wales, and England. Thank you to you all and please continue to share. The personal is always political I will keep you updated. Let's continue to keep hope alive! Nuff Respect. Akuba (Grace Quansah)