UNISON will submit thousands of signatures from across the Vale of Glamorgan to the local council in a bid to protect library services.
Library services across the Vale of Glamorgan have come under threat as a result of budget constraints. Council proposals include redycung opening hours, cutting staff numbers, and a call to community groups to run the service voluntarily.
UNISON believes that these measures could lead to the service becoming ineffective, which would be detrimental to communities across the Vale.
Gillian Southby, UNISON libraries representative in the Vale of Glamorgan, said:
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people across the Vale who have signed the petition to save library services.
“Libraries are far more than just a book loaning service these days. They provide internet access for many people who otherwise wouldn’t have online access, they provide educational support across all ages, and many libraries facilitate local community groups to run activities.
“The council has been trying to assure people that they will still have access to high quality library services, but unfortunately we cannot see how they can deliver on this promise.
“Services such as these cannot be run by volunteer groups – it would simply fall apart.
“The residents of the Vale of Glamorgan deserve to have an efficient and professionally run library service and that can only be achieved through appropriate funding and staffing.
“UNISON is calling on the council to listen to the thousands of people across the Vale and rethink their plans for library services, before it’s too late.”
