Hours facing the axe at Derry’sCentral Library in Foyle Street
A ‘HANDS OFF OUR LIBRARY’ protest rally is to be held this weekend in Derry over plans to cut the opening hours of the Central Library in city.
It is one of 14 libraries across the North of Ireland threatened with a a reduction of five hours.
Now trade unionists, activists and local campaigners will gathering outside the Foyle Street premises this Saturday at 2.00 pm to protest against the cuts.
They will also be demanding that Libraries Minister Paul Givan – who is currently in France watching Northern Ireland play – and the Assembly Executive make the necessary funds available to maintain its services.
A spokesperson for the organisers said: “Our libraries are being subjected to death by a thousand cuts.
“If we don’t resist this reduction to opening hours, more attacks will come down the line.
“These vital community services are being systematicaly run down.
“Libraries NI are running a so-called consultation on the cuts until 17th July, asking how we want them to be implemented.
“We encourage everyone to respond by clearly stating that we are opposed to any cuts whatsoever.
“This attack is a direct result of Stormont budget cuts.
“They tell us there is no money to fund our libraries, yet the Assembly Executive plans to give big business a huge tax cut at a costs of hundreds of millions per year from public services.”
So if you want to keep Central Library openings hour the same, please come out and support the rally this Saturday and send a ‘Hands Off Our Library’ message to Minister Givan.
