Love Your Libraries!

The Women's Institute is always actively campaigning on a national level. The latest issue the whole WI are tackling is library closures with our Love Your Library campaign. 

There are a few things you can do to support this campaign:


Carry your library card with pride! At the heart of the campaign is the belief that libraries are essential resources that are too important to risk losing. That's why we're calling on every member that cares about public libraries to take the simple first step of joining your local library and getting to know your local librarians.


Your local libraries are:  Warminster Library, Westbury Library, Calne Library & Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Frome Library,Trowbridge Library, Wilton Library, Salisbury Library, Corsham Library, Bath Central Library (The Podium), Gillingham Library, Chippenham Library, Corsham Library


All have more than just books. Rent DVDs, Audiobooks, CDs, go in for a coffee and read the paper, do a sewing course or learn a new skill to add to your CV.


Sign the petition! Before the last election, the Prime Minister, David Cameron MP said he planned to introduce a scheme whereby any petition that raised 100,000 signatures would trigger a debate in the House of Commons. The NFWI wants to call on the PM to honour this commitment and we'd like to see every member sign our petition with their family and friends to demonstrate just how much the WI really values our libraries.

The WI have just launched an online version of the petition, on the Government's new e-petitions website, so please do go to the link below and sign, and pass on to friends and family. 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1269

Write to your councillors Individuals and WI groups can make an impact. Please use the information in the campaign briefing,  to write to your local councillor highlighting the Love Your Library campaign, and expressing the importance of libraries to your local community.You can find contact details for your local councillor via this website http://www.writetothem.com/.

Here is the NFWI say about the campaign:

Do remember to localise your letter - if you know that libraries are under threat then please do incorporate this information, and any feedback from members about the impact service reductions would have on them.

It is also important that we establish a picture of the proposals for closures and changes to library services in all areas, so please do ask what plans the council has for changes to library services in your area. If the council has already published plans, then please ask for an update and feed this information back to the WI Public Affairs Department.