Campaigners protesting against potential closure of popular Perthshire library

Campaigners staged a protest outside Birnam Library earlier this year in February 2023
-Credit: (Image: Marion McKinnon Photography)


A protest is being staged outside a much-loved Perthshire library tomorrow afternoon to save it from closure.

Residents in Birnam and Dunkeld have called on the Scottish Government to prioritise libraries and for Perth and Kinross Council and Culture Perth and Kinross to keep their library open.

Hundreds have added their names to an online petition and local politicians have been invited to attend Friday's protest at 4pm.

The online petition - which has already attracted over 460 signatures - was started by local resident Euan Wilding after the "long-awaited" consultation issued by Culture Perth and Kinross focussed on "alternative models of library provision".

Setting up the petition on change.org, he wrote: "We call on the Scottish Government to prioritise our libraries, and for Perth and Kinross Council (PKC), and Culture Perth and Kinross (CPK) to keep Birnam Library open. Our much-loved library in Dunkeld and Birnam must remain open to all and be operated as a public service by Culture Perth and Kinross fully funded by Perth and Kinross Council. Our library is at the heart of our community."

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He added: "A recent consultation launched by CPK on our library service is focussed on 'alternative models of library provision' rather than keeping our minimal library service as it is. Closing Birnam Library will affect those that rely most on the library, toddlers, preschoolers, the elderly and those with mobility challenges deeply. It is negligent of CPK and PKC to deny these groups access to this essential service.

"Library services 12 miles away are not viable alternatives, inaccessible to most in light of reduced public transport services and increased travel costs.

"At a time when Scotland is showing long-term decline in reading performance, when one in 12 children do not own a book, when people’s lives are increasingly solitary and society more polarised, there has never been a more important moment to stand up for our libraries.

"We want a library that is accessible to all, which continues to build on the enthusiasm for reading, learning and coming together that is shared across our community of Dunkeld and Birnam and beyond.

"Above all we are campaigning for our libraries to be valued as the critical public infrastructure they are.

"We believe that Birnam Library, situated in its designated Reading Room within Birnam Institute has one of the lowest running costs of all PKC libraries, with the shortest opening hours of all."

The library is currently only open for a few hours on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

He added: "We want PKC to be transparent about how much each library costs to run – looking at its own budget and CPK's – and to provide the relatively tiny amount required to keep our rural libraries open. The Scottish Government must ensure local authorities such as PKC have the resources to enable them to support local libraries, to build on community enthusiasm for books and learning rather than suffocating and stifling children, young people and adults’ thirst and love for books.

"For everyone that recognises our libraries as a basic service just like roads, water and energy, we are saying SAVE OUR LIBRARY!"

Award-winning poet Hollie McNish is one of the signatories to the petition. The writer is performing at Birnam Arts - where the library is situated - in October.

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She wrote: "Libraries are a lifeline for children, democratise access to reading and are essential to communities."

Culture Perth and Kinross said it was exploring possible alternative models due to "increasing financial pressures".

A Culture Perth and Kinross spokesperson said: “As a result of increasing financial pressures, we are currently engaging with library users about what possible future models of service delivery might look like. We know that library services are highly valued however the current model of service provision is no longer sustainable.

“Options include supporting community-led provision, click and collect style services and increased mobile library activity. Library members have until September 25 to share their views via the questionnaire made available to them. Once responses have been collated and analysed we will be engaging further with library members.”

In February 2024 Perth and Kinross Council allocated £191,000 of its 2024/25 budget to Culture Perth and Kinross to find "local solutions for library services" over the next year.

Previously, in 2023/24 Perth and Kinross Council allocated £150,000 for a council-wide review of its leisure and cultural assets. Among the raft of approved recommendations made following the review was to "consolidate key library provision to community campuses and the AK Bell Library, trial the open library model at Scone" and "co-locate other rural library services where possible within the wider council/public estate".

Council officials said the suggestion was "based on evidence and recommendations from a review of libraries carried out by CPK on behalf of the council which identified changing usage and rising cost pressures".