Nearly 350 libraries closed in Britain over six years

Nearly 350 libraries have closed in Britain over the past six years Credit: PA

Nearly 350 libraries have closed in Britain over the past six years, causing the loss of almost 8,000 jobs, according to new analysis.

Sefton in Merseyside has lost over half its libraries since 2010.

In a controversial move that sparked protests by authors including Philip Pullman and Zadie Smith, councils across the country have shut their reading rooms in an effort to make deep savings.

Children's author Alan Gibbons warned the public library service faced the "greatest crisis in its history".

The figures, obtained by the BBC English Regions data journalism team, showed that 343 libraries have shut since 2010 and another 111 closures are planned this year.

A further 174 libraries have been transferred to community groups and run by an army of volunteers, while 50 have been handed to external organisations.

Gibbons, who wrote Shadow Of The Minotaur, told the BBC:

Librarian Ian Anstice, who runs the Public Libraries News website, said the cuts were "without precedent".