LIBRARY campaigners are planning a mass demonstration to save the town’s under-threat facilities.

The Save Bolton Libraries Campaign is set to lobby councillors outside the Town Hall this month and organisers are urging people to join the protest.

Nine libraries are under threat in a reorganisation of the council’s library services.

The shake-up, which could see several of the libraries close, is set to save £400,000 to £500,000.

But Tom Hanley, campaign chairman, said the council’s consultation process, which ends on May 20, after the local elections, was playing communities off against each other.

He said: “In the run-up to the elections on May 5, we want to remind the councillors how much local people value their local libraries “We are concerned that the consultation process effectively plays one community off against another.

“We are campaigning to save all our local libraries in Bolton.”

Under the proposals, the central library and township libraries in Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Little Lever and Westhoughton are safe, but opening hours and services could be changed.

Libraries being considered for closure are at: Harwood; High Street, Daubhill; Astley Bridge; The Orchards, Farnworth; Bromley Cross; Heaton; Oxford Grove, Halliwell; Castle Hill, Tonge Moor; and Breightmet.

The libraries are being assessed on criteria ranging from closeness to other libraries, to the condition of the building.

A protest outside Harwood Library recently collected 600 signatures in two hours.

And more than 200 people attended a mass read-in at Astley Bridge Library last week.

Petitions have also been started at other libraries across the borough.

The Save Bolton Libraries Campaign was launched at a public meeting on March 14, following a rally outside Central library on February 5.

The protest will take place outside a meeting of Bolton Council at 6pm on Wednesday, April 20.

Bolton Council deputy leader Cllr Linda Thomas said: ““Clearly people are very concerned because we all value our libraries, but nothing will be decided until the end of the consultation.”

The council is urging library users, members of the public, staff and partner organisations to have their say at bolton.

gov.uk/libraries