Libraries are a vital community service. They help educate all ages of residents and provide lots of useful services such as internet services, photocopying, a place that is quiet to study and read, reference sections, socialisation groups and a place for people to go and not feel isolated.

There are 13 tier 6 libraries in the county, at Angmering, Arundel, Broadwater, East Preston, Ferring, Findon Valley, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Petworth, Pulborough, Southbourne, Southwater and Witterings.  Any of these could be at threat under council plans.

But the planned cuts to library opening hours from 7pm to 6pm will also hit Crawley, Worthing, Horsham and Chichester libraries and stop many working people using the libraries on any days except Saturday.  The closure of the mobile libraries will also hit many rural and isolated areas of the county hard.

We, the undersigned, call on West Sussex County Council to abandon plans to close our libraries, to maintain their current opening hours and to continue to run the mobile library service. Our library service is too valuable to lose any of it.