Moray Council proposing to close seven libraries - Burghead, Cullen, Dufftown, Fochabers, Keith, Lossiemouth and Tomintoul all at risk.

Seven out of Moray’s 11 libraries are facing closure as the council looks to make savings.

Burghead, Cullen, Dufftown, Fochabers, Keith, Lossiemouth and Tomintoul are all in the firing line, according to information obtained by this paper.

Moray Council is due to publicly announce its plans later today. It will then hold a brief three-week consultation period to hear people’s views.

The only four libraries that remain safe are Aberlour, Buckie, Elgin and Forres.

Having got wind of the plans this past Monday, users of Keith Library held their own meeting yesterday morning.

Despite the very short notice, about 35 members of the public showed up to voice their opposition.

Mary Philp, a member of the book group which meets regularly at Keith Library, urged everyone to write to the chief executive of Moray Council.

Addressing the crowd, she said: “What they want is for us to be apathetic. They want us to accept this without a fuss.

“Well, are you all up for a fight? We’re going to hit them left, right and centre.

“Write to the council’s chief executive, your local councillors, the MP and the MSP. Tell them your own individual reasons why this shouldn’t happen.”

The closure proposals came in the wake of Moray losing its mobile library in March due to cutbacks.

Kathleen Smith, who walks with a stick and doesn’t drive, wondered how many people would simply stop going to libraries altogether if the seven under-threat sites closed.

She said: “I’d have to take public transport from Keith to Elgin, then somehow get myself from the bus station to the library, then come all the way back again. It would take more than half a day.

“My first reaction on hearing the news was ‘well, that’s stupid’.”

Sue Walton, who lives on the outskirts of Keith and is another regular library user, said: “Look at how many children you see coming here. Look at the number of people who come in to use its computers to find work or pay bills.

“This is not just a library. It’s a place for the community to meet.

“When I moved to Keith last year the library was the first place I came. It’s where folk go to find out what’s going on in the town.”

The local authority states that it needs to save £4.8 million this financial year, and £18.2 million within the next two years.

Similar plans to shut libraries were announced over a decade ago in 2013.

The end result was that Rothes, Findochty, Portknockie, Hopeman all closed their doors for good. However, Burghead, Dufftown and Cullen were saved the axe following public protests.

A spokesperson for Moray Council confirmed it would release details of its current proposals later today.