Protesters empty library of books to fight closure threat

A TOWN has emptied its library in an attempt to fight plans to close it down.

People in Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, spent last week withdrawing their maximum allowance of books in protest against council plans to close it to cope with budget cuts.

Yesterday they said the plan had been a success, with all 16,000 books being withdrawn.

As they celebrated the empty shelves, Emily Malleson from Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how people in the town had pulled together. She said the books were being checked out at a rate of about 378 an hour.

"A local resident mentioned the idea, maybe as a bit of a joke, but we thought it was a great idea so we put it to FOSSL," she said.

"I went home, put it on Facebook and e-mailed everyone I could think of and it's just gone absolutely mad."

More than 500 supporters have joined a Facebook page and there is also a written petition and an online petition against the proposed closure.

The planned cuts are part of efforts by Milton Keynes Council to save more than 26 million in 2011-12.