British Library reading room closures

Thank you for signing the petition about British Library reading room closures.

The British Library trade union, PCS, has now also started a petition, please also sign and share this.   https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-privatisation-of-the-british-library  

Please also write to your MP and to the media.  Ask your trade union, professional organisation, student union, reading group, etc to make a statement or write directly to the British Library.  

 I am sending a letter about the reading room closures to The Guardian this week.  It's been signed by several authors and academics.    If you would like to sign this public letter, please email me direct with your name and affiliation (if any):  gracelivingstoneUK@gmail.com 

This is the text of the letter going to The Guardian:

'We are deeply concerned that the British Library is planning to close three free-to-use public reading rooms, and turn them into paid-for, private co-working spaces.

The reading rooms are used by people of all ages and backgrounds, including sixth-formers, undergraduates, academics, journalists and writers. They are always full of people needing a quiet space to research and write. 

The closure plan violates the official purpose of the British Library as a national library available to all.  

It will lead to overcrowding in the remaining reading rooms, disproportionately impacting people from low income backgrounds with nowhere else to study, and people from outside London, who will struggle to arrive at the library early enough to secure a reading room space.

We urge the British Library to fulfil its duty to the public and keep all its reading rooms open.'

best wishes

Grace Livingstone