I AM A resident of Minchinhampton and am greatly concerned about the potential closure of this library as it is far more than a place where people borrow books. I would love you to come and visit and write an article, or if you wish I would write one.

Last year when we won the South West region Calor Gas village of the year competition and were runner up in the national competition, the library played a central part I our being classed as an excellent and exceptional sustainable community. In reality, it is the vibrant hub of our village. Other village meeting places are the post office and the church and the pub, but the library is one of the essential gathering places and offers a warm haven and a source of upliftment and learning to a wide spectrum of people.

I came to live in Minch from Bristol and was immediately impressed by the exceptional service given in the library and the vast number of community activities that take place there. These range from baby bounce (26 or so singing mothers and babies being bounced) to school parties and after-school and holiday-time clubs and activities, to many services for the elderly including teaching us to use the computer.

The council mentions in their letter that they are saving money in order to invest in more technology for the libraries that do stay open.

Our community has a large number of vulnerable and older people who would not be able to get into Stroud, so a closure would affect them greatly.

For example, recently an elderly person was having trouble getting travel information and rang the library to come in to get that information. Then they had trouble getting a taxi to the library. Although they were only a few roads away, the librarians, who always offer outstanding sympathy and kindness to the library users, gave up part of a lunch hour to drive to the 90 year old, bring her in, get the information and take her back again.

Please put your weight behind keeping such a good centre of kindness open.

ELAINE HELLER Dr Brown’s Close Minchinhampton