We are in imminent danger of losing most, if not all, of our invaluable local public libraries. Closures may be announced as early as 29 February 2024.

Following budget consultations held late in 2023, Stirling Council will shortly be taking financial decisions that will directly affect the ability for everyone, regardless of age or financial status, to have free access to books. To be able to read is to never be alone. Reading is the critical gateway to empathy, enjoyment, and other worlds, and provides immeasurable social, educational and cultural value to our towns and villages and our country as a whole.

Our libraries are cornerstones of our communities; they host our book chats and our support groups, our toddler storytimes, our craft get-togethers and our homework clubs. They provide a safe and warm space for people to meet and socialize, while giving essential opportunities for young children and new parents to bond and grow together. They are an essential resource for home-schooling families and for those with additional support needs. They draw people out of their homes and onto our high streets and provide economic benefits to the surrounding local businesses. They are hubs of regional and national government and civic outreach and places to share news about cultural, sporting and charity events. 

Critically, they provide those with no or limited computer and internet access with opportunities to look for and apply for work, or to undertake research or engage in online learning. Additionally, they often provide the only public toilets within an area and offer free period products to those in need. 

They bind our communities together while boosting our individual mental health.

For many children and young people––given the shrinking number of school libraries combined with the current economic downturn––the local library may be the only place where they have free access to books. Within the last few weeks, the Scottish Parliament passed unanimously the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), enshrining it into domestic law. What an irony it would be to shut open doors to learning, given that securing access to education is one of its key tenets. 

Currently, there are 17 libraries within the Stirling Council area (with the addition of two mobile libraries). They are located in Balfron, Bannockburn, Bridge of Allan, Callander, Cambusbarron, Cornton, Cowie, Doune, Dryman, Dunblane, Fallin, Killin, Plean, Raploch, Stirling (Central Library), St.Ninians and Strathblane. All these libraries are under threat of closure with the exception of Stirling Central Library, which, however, has limited disabled access.

Should some or most of these libraries close, many people will not be able to access any that remain open due to lack of public transportation or limited mobility. Mobile libraries are wonderful assets, but they're not ideal for hosting English language classes for new Scottish citizens, scanning a job-seeker's CV, arranging a Lego swap, or hosting visiting poets.

Reading is a foundation stone of higher economic living standards and a better educated and more democratically minded society. We are more than aware of the crushing constraints facing local government in light of the current economic climate, but we simply cannot afford to lose such a key component in the fundamental quality of everyone's daily life. 

Thank you. 

Save Our Libraries Stirling