Plea to council to keep investing in Angus's library service

Alison Alison Nolan, chief executive officer of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), has written to the local authority to emphasise the important roles libraries can have in their communities.

Over the past decade, 53 libraries across Scotland have closed for good. Ms Nolan has pointed out that that libraries provide essential access to trusted information and education for all, encourage a lifelong love of reading and serve as warm spaces where everyone is welcome without any expectation to spend.

She said: “I’ve written to councillors across Angus, before crucial budget decisions are made for the next financial year, to remind them what investment in public libraries truly means.

“At the SLIC we understand the delicate financial situation that councils must navigate but we would urge those considering cuts to their library services to think again.

"It’s no secret that the cultural sector is under unprecedented pressure but the narrative that austerity measures justify these cuts is shortsighted. This isn’t just a story of diminishing buildings and bookshelves, it’s a story of lives disrupted.

“These closures are deeply felt because libraries represent so much more than the sum of their parts. Public libraries remain the most popular service local government delivers. Closing these doors means cutting off opportunities — a cost far greater than any savings achieved.”

Ms Nolan added that closures and cuts disproportionately affect rural communities, removing vital access to education, digital resources and safe spaces for social interaction.

She said: “They provide essential services to support job applications, digital literacy training and social connection. To lose them is to deepen the isolation already felt by many. No other community asset can deliver the vast benefits that a thriving public library service can, and so we would urge decision-makers to prioritise investment in their communities. Anything less would be a failure we cannot afford.”