SIR — Somerset County Council is continuing its attack on rural communities.

Not content with withdrawing funding from 11 libraries in small communities, it has now announced its proposals for the reduction of mobile libraries – which could have filled the gaps - from six to two.

The total number of mobile library stops is being reduced from 854 to 311. This is a reduction of 543 and means that 206 rural communities will no longer receive a library service.

Somerset's criteria is that a community must be more than three miles from a static library before it can receive a mobile library visit.

This means that the elderly, disabled or young are expected to walk for up to six miles carrying their books.

In my own area, Huish Champflower, Clatworthy and Brompton Ralph – all more than three miles from Wiveliscombe library – will cease to receive a visit.

It does not matter to Somerset County Council that the loss of a mobile library stop will have a disproportionate impact on the least mobile members of society.

Spoken word, large print, Braille or Moon items for visually impaired will just not be available.

Rural communities and low income households are likely to be impacted more than those living in larger towns or with a higher income.

Older people trying to live independent lives and younger people struggling with literacy are being abandoned.

With public transport being cut it is less likely that travel in to towns with a library will be possible – Tesco doesn't operate a mobile library.

As 68 per cent of mobile library users are female and many are carers, they will be hard hit by the cuts.

Twenty-seven per cent of households in the UK do not have internet access and the position is worse in Somerset's rural areas, so information and on-line book ordering will not be possible.

SCC should stand for Somerset County Council – now it stands for Shameful County Council!

A legal challenge to Somerset's library cuts is continuing and if you would like to pledge support for the Public Interest Lawyers' campaign, please email your pledge to [email protected]">[email protected] or write to J Irven, 3 St Decuman's Heights, St Decuman's Road, Watchet TA23 0FL.

You can't open minds with a closed library.

Kay Hoskins,

Chairman,

Friends of Somerset Libraries.