BID TO SAVE LETHAM LIBRARY FROM THE AXE
LETHAM residents of all ages are joining together in a determined effort to maintain a library facility in the village.
In the last few days they have stamped their own authority on Angus Council's decision to close the part-time library which has operated in part of the Feuars' Hall, round from the Square, for 32 years.
The Letham library is one of four being axed as part of Angus Council's savings programme, with similar facilities at Edzell, Friockheim and Newtyle facing closure.
The latest chapter in the village's future has lent itself to a public campaign which has gathered pace during the last week.
Members of the local primary school's pupil council have written to councillors calling for the local authority to re-consider their decision.
Two open sessions were held in the Feuars' Hall on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and a petition which is circulating in the village has already gathered several hundred signatures.
The residents are up in arms about the council's plans to close the library and replace it with a mobile service.
The Dispatch visited the village last Thursday morning to gauge public opinion (see Square Go! on page 4), with the majority of those spoken to clearly angered by the council's decision to close the doors - without any consultation.
Residents wished the facility to be retained as they viewed it as a convenient service for those who have difficulty travelling to Forfar, and spoke of the important link it provided between the primary school and the local community.
Primary seven pupil council members Louise Greenhill and Sam Rigby led the pupils' campaign in writing the protest letter on behalf of school pupils.
The youngsters, including those attending the nursery, regularly walk to the library with teachers and parent helpers - a fact highlighted by government inspectors in a recent HMIe report
The pupils' letter stated: "All pupils access the library every fortnight and we look forward to being able to fully utilise the facilities each visit.
"Our infant and nursery classes enjoy story times led by Mrs Brown, the librarian, and our upper classes often use the time to search for books which will help with school topics."
Louise added that, although most children now have access to home computers to prepare, research and complete homework tasks which develop independent learning, not all pupils do.
She warned the removal of this "great resource" could only have a detrimental effect to all children in Letham village.
Although the school has its own library, the pupil council has told councillors it is already stretched to its limit and extending it would not be an option.
As well as during term time, Sam explained the library runs many projects during the school holidays which "inspire and encourage children to read books throughout the summer term."
"Pupils become involved in fictional journeys. These projects give the long summer holidays an excellent focus."
The importance of the library facility for school pupils was also highlighted by Isobel Sword, secretary of the Letham Feuars Committee.
She stated there had been a "very supportive response" from the community which had joined together in its fight to retain the library.
She said: "We really don't want to see the library go. We've collected several hundred signatures on a petition asking the council to delay closing the library to look at other options.
"We've already received an awful lot of comment sheets from people."
When asked about the mood of residents in their fight for the retention of the service, she added: "They are angry that this decision has been made without any consultation with the community.
"There's been a library here for 32 years - we can only hope. The children use it a lot. It really is a wonderful facility. They make use of it and it ties them in with the community - which all ties in with the new curriculum at the school."
The Letham Feuars Committee is hoping to present its petition to Angus Council this week.
In announcing changes to the library service last month, Angus Neighbourhood Services convener Jim Millar explained the closure of the part time libraries was identified as a potential saving following a review of the library use.
"A pilot exercise in Letham last year saw the part-time library service supplemented by a new mobile service. This allowed us to take the library closer to customers in different parts of the village – the local lunch club welcomed its visits to their premises.
"In Letham book lending from the mobile service was higher than the part-time library. Given that result and the potential savings in property costs we decided it was reasonable to move from part-time static libraries to a more flexible mobile service."
Neighbourhood Services will be working with education's library support section to ensure library education is maintained.
Councillor Millar added he hoped the affected communities would give the new service a fair chance when it started in April.
"Bearing in mind that the mobile service will be enhanced later in the year with a 250,000 investment in two larger and better equipped library vans I think we will be able to expand the services for village and rural communities."
The new generation library vehicles will also be equipped to offer residents in rural communities information and advice about council services, energy and fuel costs, training and educational opportunities, voluntary services and leisure and recreational activities as well as having a private office for one-to-one consultations and meetings.
Figures released by Angus Council listing the monthly averages for Angus' mobile and part-time libraries in 2009/10 showed that Letham Library had 490 visitors, there were nine People Network Bookings and 964 books were borrowed.
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Weather for Kirriemuir
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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