Philip Pullman Joins Fight to Save Brent Libraries Threatened with Closure

The highest profile campaign against library closures in the country continues as the Save Kensal Rise Library Campaign announces that Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, is coming to Kensal Rise to join the fight for the six threatened Brent libraries. Kensal Rise library was opened in 1900 by the author Mark Twain, and has survived two world wars and many recessions. A community sit-in prevented its closure in 1988.

A judicial review claim by library campaigners has been issued in the High Court challenging the highly controversial decision of Brent Council to close half its local libraries, and campaigners need to raise £30,000 for the legal action. If successful, the legal challenge will be a landmark in the national campaign to save libraries, and it seems likely to be the first such action to come to court.

Authors Zadie Smith and Alan Bennett have already given fundraising events for the campaign. Now Philip Pullman, one of the UK’s most celebrated and controversial writers, will be speaking to an even bigger audience in Kensal Rise on 20 July.

Pullman will talk about why writing and reading matter, about greed and money, capitalism, temptation and generosity, and will read from his new book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. He will be in conversation with novelist Maggie Gee (who has lived within 400 metres of the library since 1986 and was also involved with the 1988 campaign to save it) and will then join in a Q&A with the audience.

Co-Chair of the Save Kensal Rise library Campaign Margaret Bailey states:
“The threatened libraries are important for everyone who lives, studies or works locally, but especially for low income families and their children. The cost of closure to the community and to our children’s futures would be devastating and incalculable. We are determined to ensure the libraries remain open and trust that the Court will quickly see Brent’s decisions make no sense - legally or otherwise.”

Philip Pullman event is at 7.00pm, 20th July 2011, at Queens Park Community School, Aylestone Avenue, NW6 7BQ

 Tickets £10 from Queens Park Books, 87 Salusbury Road, NW6 (0207 625 1008), The Lexi Cinema, 194 Chamberlayne Rd, NW10, L’Angolo Delicatessen, 120 College Road, NW10, and other local outlets.

Any unsold tickets available on the door.

See www.savekensalriselibrary.org/