The Library Campaign has accused the government of hiding the exact impact of cuts that could cause the closure of a further 400 UK libraries by 2016. As a long-term supporter of the campaign to keep libraries open, I've signed petitions and shared articles promoting the virtues of free access to books. I believe in the power of words to transform lives – everyone should be able to enjoy the education, knowledge and escapism books offer. Yet until recently, I didn't understand libraries' true value, and just how great their loss would be for society.
I have fond memories of my first library. Housed in a wooden cabin raised on bricks, it was the only source of books in the north Hertfordshire village I grew up in. I'd run up the ramp, the drumming of my feet on it heralding my reunion with stories. I read from one end of the library to the other. It smelled of dust jackets and hot chipboard. Libraries were a place of magic. My gran, who lived in a small town, had a mobile library that visited every fortnight. I'd offer to carry her Mills & Boon volumes, knowing I'd get to select an extra book for myself.
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