WITH our libraries under the constant threat of closure from this Labour administration, or saved by a mystical group of seven who are prepared to run them T.B.C. should we not take a leaf out of the Scottish administration’s plan of giving all children in their early years a library card automatically to encourage schools and families to use our libraries?

We should especially focus on those from the most deprived areas of the city, (where incidentally the threatened libraries are situated.)

This would give them, I believe, more incentive to use the library services and help those children from the deprived areas attain a better education and reading skills.

Libraries empower local communities and to lose them would defragment break up those communities as only those with the means would travel to other libraries in the city to use them.

I say, along with over 10,000 other concerned peoples of Southampton, end this farcical situation and Save Our Libraries – and improve our libraries for all.

The cost is small, the benefits to society are greater.

Cllr Bob Painton, Swaythling ward, Southampton