Neil Gaiman leads Hampshire writers protesting library cuts
(The Guardian Books News)

Proposals to close 14 of the county´s 52 public libraries are symptoms of a society turning its back on culture and community, say authorsHampshire´s most famous literary resident, Jane Austen, must be spinning in her grave at the council´s mooted plans to close up to 14 of the county´s 52 libraries, according to local authors protesting the move.Hampshire county council, which currently runs 48 libraries and supports a further four community-managed branches, said on Thursday that it is facing an anticipated budget shortfall of £80m by April 2021, and must cut £1.76m from its library budget. To this end, it is consulting on proposals that include closing up to 14 libraries, including the withdrawal of support from four community-managed sites, or reducing opening hours across the board. Related: Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on why we need libraries - an essay in pictures Continue reading...