Madam,

 Kate Murray fails, still, to understand what a library is. She says that they should be flexible, open and friendly places – no one would quibble with that, but they are essentially about books, reading and studying. 'Improving the number of people coming to the building', is meaningless – if they all come to use the toilets or buy green plastic bags they will be a distraction to the function of the library. Ms Murray gives the game away by her constant references to 'customers' rather than 'readers'. I assume that this is to blind us to the fact that the library will eventually become another council office with a few books on the side. Since this country lost thirty five public libraries in 2007 I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies; no doubt in time they will follow post offices into history.

 

Coincidentally, the next occasion that I visited the library after my first letter I was greeted by the sound of a toddler who spent several minutes exploring how loudly he could shout as he ran around the book stacks. His efforts encouraged a baby with another parent to add her own contribution. Needless to say, the toddler's mother made no attempt to rein him in. It made concentrating on the selection of my murder mystery very difficult. Had I been trying to study, there may well have been a real murder.

 

Yours faithfully

C S Thompson