Library cuts will devastate people in Birmingham, say campaigners
Birmingham Loves Libraries wrote an open letter to the council asking for proposals to be scrapped.
Proposed cuts to library services in Birmingham could be devastating for the city and increase inequalities, according to a libraries campaign group.
Birmingham Loves Libraries has written an open letter to Birmingham City councillors, demanding all cuts to be paused.
Emma Lochery, co-organiser of the group, said: "We need libraries to be there so people can have free access to books and reading resources. "
"Children's books are expensive, we're in a cost of living crisis right now; families can't afford the amount of books children need to develop that passion for reading."
"A network of well-run public libraries is essential in a city especially when we have relatively low levels of literacy and high levels of poverty, and providing a comprehensive and efficient library service is a statutory duty - that means local authorities must provide libraries."
The final phase of the council's libraries consultation will run from the end of August until late September, before a final decision is made.
Birmingham Loves Libraries has taken aim at all cuts, arguing that all cuts and asset sales should be paused while independent public interest and value for money assessments are made.
Emma Lochery said people are "profoundly frustrated, they're very angry. People say they're at the heart of our communities, it's a place I go where I don't have to spend any money, it's where I take my children so they can run around and choose the book they want, it's not a shop where you have to say 'don't touch that, I can't afford that'".
Birmingham City Council launched a public consultation on the future of its libraries in April, which will run until 17 July.
A statement on the website said: "The review of our library services aims to achieve greater efficiency and value for money, and the continuing provision of a library service.
"While savings have been announced, final decisions have not been made on what the library service will look like in the future; the public consultation will help inform any next steps."
It added: "We want to work with local people to find flexible and sustainable ways of providing library services."