Worle Library faces closure this September if North Somerset Council’s proposed budget cuts are approved, with Winscombe Library potentially shutting its doors the following March. While Pill Library may be spared, other libraries in the area will see reduced opening hours to accommodate these changes. Overall, the council aims to slash £50,000 from its libraries budget.
Hearing of these proposed cuts filled me with deep sadness. Libraries have always been so much more than places to borrow books—they are lifelines that have the power to transform lives.
As an unhappy child and teenager, I found solace in my local library. Amidst its fluorescent lighting, temperamental printer, and stark, brutalist architecture, I discovered a sanctuary. Between those towering bookshelves, I found calm, quiet, and, most importantly, safety. The worst I had to worry about was the occasional paper cut.
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The library gave me a distraction-free space to focus on homework and exam preparation. When home wifi went out that summer, it was the only place I could go to check emails and stay connected with friends and family.
Most importantly, it was a refuge where I could escape my problems. I spent countless Saturdays sinking into a beanbag, transported to far-off worlds—wandering the Danish royal court one day, exploring the warrens of Watership Down the next, or journeying across Cormac McCarthy’s stark highways on another. I traveled through Panem, Gilead, and Westeros, finding temporary respite from reality.
For a few precious hours, I was no longer a troubled kid.
Every child finds their sanctuary in different places—football pitches, skateparks, or a beloved relative’s home. For me, it was a palace of laminated paperbacks and soothing silence.
Had my local library closed during my youth, I doubt I’d be writing this today. It was in those aisles that I developed my love of reading, and by extension, my passion for writing.
Libraries empowered me to pursue education wholeheartedly, opening doors to Sixth Form, university, and eventually a journalism diploma.
At 17, I began volunteering at my library and saw firsthand that I wasn’t alone in seeking refuge there. Many visitors came for simple companionship—some lived alone and were often isolated. Parents brought toddlers to read-along sessions, connecting with others. And some just needed a warm, dry place to wait out the relentless rain.
Even now, as an adult, my local library enriches my life. I save hundreds of pounds a year by borrowing books rather than buying them, improve my cooking by raiding the cookbook section, and appreciate the quiet workspace I often use. In fact, I’m writing this article from a library right now.
I acknowledge that North Somerset Council faces tough choices. A £53 million budget shortfall was reported in 2024, making difficult cuts inevitable. I have sympathy for councillors tasked with such decisions.
Yet, closing Worle or Winscombe libraries would be a heartbreaking loss. For many young people in North Somerset, these spaces could be the turning point that changes their lives.
The council will vote on these budget proposals on February 24.