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A third of Aberdeen libraries closed to save its city council £280,000

A THIRD of Aberdeen’s libraries closed today to save its SNP-led city council £280,000.

Cornhill, Cults, Ferryhill, Kaimhill, Northfield and Woodside communities will see their libraries cut, despite the Save Aberdeen Libraries Campaign attracting 6,000 signatures to their cause.

Supporting the cuts on Monday, SNP councillor Hazel Cameron, whose own ward will lose two libraries, courted controversy after stating: “It is a building, a building will not teach your children to read.”

But campaigners say the comment is at odds with her administration’s manifesto which said libraries were “vital” in “closing the digital divide and attainment gap.”

Save Aberdeen Libraries have called upon the new First Minister Humza Yousaf to intervene, calls echoed at First Minister’s Questions by Scottish Labour’s Mercedes Villalba. 

But Mr Yousaf said: “Decisions for the council … should be made by the local authority.”

Save Aberdeen Libraries campaigner Laurie Mackay said: “We are not giving up our fight.

“Everyone in our city has the right to have access to a library.”

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