One of the signs - so say the historians and philosophers - of a bankrupt civilisation is the destruction of libraries. Faced with forced (?) cuts to services, local authorities are seeing library closures as 'easy cuts' and one of the intended victims is Burnage Library (Manchester). Used by thousands of people - not just to borrow books, including Braille and large print books, and audio books and tapes, but to find out about local events and use the Internet - Burnage Library is of vital importance to local people.

If Burnage were to close - which I'm sure, given the energy local campaigners are putting into saving it, and the goodwill of local councillors who actually understand the value of library services - people on a low income and/or with mobility issues would be without their service. It's fine for someone with a car, no worries about petrol costs, or enough money for a taxi to say 'go to one further away'. It's time they understood that EVERYONE needs the library at some point in their life, from childhood through to old age.

Local schools use the library too. And it's a place where people can go to be with others who value communication and learning, cultural heritage, literature, a quiet atmosphere. How many careers have been launched from a library? How many of our celebrity sports people, naturalists, scientist, lawyers - you name a profession! - found their first inspiration in a book at a local library? Someone ought to research this question: go to your local library and see what you can find out about that!

I fully support this campaign, and would like to see more people get behind it, especially other people local to Burnage who have at any moment in their lives used that library!

LET'S SAVE BURNAGE LIBRARY! And for now, let's show those brave and dedicated campaigners that we're behind them!

Best wishes, Jan Tchamani (http://www.kingsheathringoffriends.com and see Blogs on Age UK website http://ageuk.org/blogs)