British libraries are facing cuts as the UK’s new government comes to terms with its financial woes. From the National Library set to lose £1million pounds to local libraries reducing hours or closing branches, Britain’s libraries are being asked to tighten their belts. Several writers have condemned the decision with Phillip Pullman calling it an “unforgivable disgrace” and former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion calling the moves “an act of gross cultural vandalism”.
The Guardian has crowdsourced the closures and cuts by creating a map that readers can add their local stories to. From the reports at John O'Groats that their local library will merge with a school’s library to Cornwall’s rumours of closing 26 of their 32 libraries, the whole nation has a snapshot of the damage that’s being done to libraries.