Quote Originally Posted by WJ99mobile View Post
No books loaned from Barrow Island library in a year http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-46234480

Whilst bit of an anomaly, I wouldn’t thought this is too dissimilar to most of the libraries in the UK
This is another news report trying to "support" the closing down of public services. Modern libraries supply far more services than "lending" books. They have the internet, so those who can't afford a computer have access to the net, and of course can then access other public services which are only available on line. They run reading clubs/ story telling for pre-school children, and home work clubs for children at school. They are some of the last places elderly people can go to meet others. They are used by people to conduct research through their reference books, family history resources, local newspaper archives etc.

It's always a sad day when a library is closed. Closing libraries is taking away a basic educational resource from those who are less able to afford their own.