HUNDREDS of readers turned out today to show their support for Easingwold Library.

Easingwold marketplace was full of campaigners against the closure of the library, collecting signatures and encouraging the local population to express their views.

Members of the local community held a read-in in the library, where people read passages from books and heard from author Mike Pannett.

He said he hoped the show of support would bring North Yorkshire County Council back to the negotiating table to re-think plans to close Easingwold Library, along with 23 others across the county.

“We had a really strong show of support,” he said.

Alongside the read-in, there was a stall set up outside the library itself to inform local people of the proposals and the marketplace was full of balloons and children, as well as musical entertainment.

“The whole spectrum of people who use the library turned up in great numbers," said the author. "I have my fingers crossed that it will have some effect. There were a lot of people there who will be writing in to North Yorkshire County Council to ask them to re-think.

“Easingwold is a very well-used library, used by 60,000 people last year and it’s growing each year.

"I can’t see the logic in closing it. South Korea is just about to open hundreds of libraries because they can see the value of free reading and access to all.

“We all know they’ve got to cut costs, but why so savagely? Big savings could be made elsewhere before these services,” he said.

North Yorkshire County Council said it was expecting to have to save about £2.3 million from its existing library budget of £7.5million over the next four years as a result of the cuts.