From the Library Act to the Big Society: Libraries in Britain today

This article describes current British public literacy policy, that is nothing if not circumspect. A thousand British libraries are facing closure in 2011 as part of a major plan to cut public expenditure, launched by the new coalition government as part of its Big Society project. The author looks at the causes behind the project and how it is to be implemented. She also outlines the campaigns against the cuts, involving authors, readers, and professional bodies including the Chartered Institute for Libraries and Information Professionals (Cilip), the National Literacy Trust, the Reading Agency, and Booktrust.
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