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Bennett's Newsnight library defence becomes Twitter trend
25.05.11 | Benedicte Page
Author Alan Bennett trended on UK Twitter last night following a BBC2 Newsnight interview in which he reiterated his previously expressed view that closing libraries constitutes child abuse. Bennett told the programme that the lack of an opportunity to read damages a child forever. His views were enthusiastically espoused on Twitter, resulting in his name appearing among the most cited phrases in the UK after the programme.
Bennett took part in a fundraising event at St Martin's Church in Kensal Green yesterday evening to generate money to support the campaign to keep the library. Brent campaigners are asking for £5 donations to raise the £30,000 required to take their case over local library closures to judicial review.
Author Tim Lott and Mark Littlewood of the Institute of Economic Affairs appeared live on Newsnight to debate the future of libraries later that night, with Littlewood opining that if Bennett wanted to support them he should pay the money himself rather than expecting taxpayers to do so.
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Sadly, Tim Lott while putting a case against closure of public libraries suggested they could be run using volunteers in order to save tax payers’ money. He was doing quite well up to that point. What a shame.
Also, Mark Littlewood misunderstood Alan Bennett's comment "Closing libraries is child abuse", he assumed Bennett was likening it to paedophilia; he does not seem to understand there are other forms of abuse, like neglect.
The "child abuse" comment was, sadly, always going to be taken by as meaning equivalent to sexual child abuse by the majority of people ... but, apart, from that Alan Bennett came off well. Mark Littlewood came across as far rightwing and possibly served the pro-libraries cause by alienating the undecided. The BBC reporter from Kensal Rise was quite sneering about libraries too...
See my post at http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2011/05/special-report-newsnight.html
Agreed with Mr Anstice, it was going to be a 'touchy' statement to make for many; however, I think we all appreciate not only his point but his support for saving libraries.
The Government really need to start cutting down on the money wasted daily by councils and only then, turn their attention to services; that are not only a source of employment but a place for education, development and communities no matter your age.
Mark Littlewood is clearly someone who should have spent more time in the library during his formative years. An unfortunate product of the previous conservative governments education policies.
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