Saturday 3rd of November 2018 saw the second national demonstration to Save Our Libraries. The event was organised by grassroots campaigners within Unison and PCS. The first demonstration took place in 2016 and attracted a crowd of 2,500-3,000 but this year’s event was much smaller. Although, there were a small number in attendance it did influence news articles, like this piece from Arifa Akbar from The Guardian. The low numbers for this demonstration, were probably due to the high rate of closures and cuts to funding that have already taken place in the public library sector. Photos from the demonstration are available on Twitter using the #SaveOurLibraries hashtag.
Prospect BL London members attended the demonstration and the following report comes from Marja Kingma:
The march was not as well attended as the one from two years ago, but we did make up for that by carrying very elaborate large banners and by making ourselves heard loud and clear. Tony and I teamed up with a friend of Tony’s who works in the Camden Library and was holding a Unison banner. A little into the march I bumped into a friend who has PhD in library science and writes books about information services. It was really good to see her.
It must be said that the banners and chants were only about libraries- museums weren’t mentioned until the rally at Parliament Square. Lewisham and Lambeth Libraries both had large banners and one rep from the Feminist Library carried a tiny book case on her back. I loved the banner for the Minet Library, featuring a white cat.
Although the group was small, we managed to stop the traffic on occasion. On the way we were cheered far more often than booed; several bus drivers sounded their claxons, and tourists snapped photos and cheered. One American lady was amazed our public libraries are closing. We got her sympathy. I walked up for a while with a lady who is library user and wanted to show her solidarity. Lots of solidarity from ordinary people.
The march arrived at Parliament Square at 13.30, only 15 minutes later than planned. The rally started soon after with Alan Wylie passing on a message of solidarity from Tom Watson, Labour shadow minister for culture. Labour promises to plough £1 billion into culture and the arts, which would reverse the £1 billion cut from the sector. Speakers from Unison and PCS spoke against ideologically driven cuts (because they really make no economic sense), privatisation, reducing terms and conditions as well as pay, directing their anger towards Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) a private company that seems to know about running libraries as well as gyms. Capitalism got a dusting down as well. The talk by children’s author Frank Cottrell Boyce was more fun; he told his own personal story of how, as a teenager, the library in the town his family he had just moved to was his place of refuge.
Hopefully there will be more of us next time. We’re not out of the woods yet.
Prospect at the British Library 