SIR — We have written the following letter regarding Wiveliscombe Library to Cllr Christine Lawrence, Somerset County Council's Cabinet Member for Community Services:

We are residents of the 10 Parishes around Wiveliscombe. As you know it is an active community, which is continually working hard to keep the area thriving and sustainable.

We are shocked and concerned that our newly-opened, treasured and well-used library is to be closed - all for a saving of £21,000 per annum.

You have spent over £65,000 opening it six months ago and signed a ten year lease. As you know Wivey library has more reading groups attached to it than any other Somerset library.

We feel upset that the "consultations" are not to be held in Wiveliscombe, that the decision has been made after the parish precepts have been decided and at a holiday period when many people are away.

A library without a trained professional librarian, without access to the county, regional and national networks, will not satisfy the demand.

The cutting of four out of six mobile libraries with no information available as to which are to be saved means that at the very point that they could fill gaps in remote villages they are to be axed too.

We understand that Somerset has a better than expected settlement from central government than when this decision was taken, and we also understand that Somerset has substantial reserves and had the option of raising council tax.

Any one of these or a combination would save our county libraries.

Like you we believe that a library is "at the heart of its community" but it cannot be the heart if it does not exist.

Closing libraries will weaken all the affected rural communities and damage a way of life you seek to protect.

We have invited you to a meeting we have called in Wivey on today (Friday) but you feel unable to come and explain.

We want to know whether the barbarians are at the gate or running Somerset County Council.

We urge you to think again at the cabinet meeting on the February 16 and save Wiveliscombe and the other 23 rural and mobile libraries.

Kay and Gareth Hoskins,

Huish Champflower.