Protest film being made over cuts to library services

The cuts would mean 20 of Somerset's libraries could close

Celebrities including Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis are making a campaign film against the closure of libraries.

Oscar winning screenwriter Lord Julian Fellowes and broadcaster Kate Mosse are also appearing in the film which is being made by Somerset film makers.

The group opposes cuts to libraries, including Somerset County Council's proposal to stop funding 20 libraries.

The Conservative-run council needs to save 25% on its £5.4m library budget.

The protest film is being made by Ken Kutsch, Garfield Kennedy and Kevin Redpath who live in Glastonbury, where the library there is at risk of closure.

It will consist of statements to camera from people talking about the importance of libraries, books and education.

The group said the video film would "challenge the extent and the permanence of the cuts".

It is being filmed in Shepton Mallet on Wednesday.

'Tantamount to sacrilege'

Meanwhile an independent library in Glastonbury has offered its support to Friends of Glastonbury who are campaigning to prevent the closure of Glastonbury library.

In a statement, the Library of Avalon said it regarded libraries as temples of the divine Djehuti (the Egyptian deity of all forms of writing) and believed the "destruction, desuetude or disestablishment of any library is tantamount to sacrilege".

It said if implemented, the decision would be disrespectful to the "goddess of righteousness, correctness and order, and the divine Seshat, goddess of documentation; the Recording Angel".

"The trustees sincerely hope and expect that those who have proposed to close the local library will think again; such a closure would, in the opinion of the trustees, be strategically ill-conceived, culturally counterproductive, and logistically unnecessary."

The Library of Avalon is an independent, apolitical charity which receives no funding from the county council.