Queen Camilla laments library closures during visit to community hub

The Queen has lamented library closures across the country as she celebrated a thriving example in Edinburgh.

Camilla told a group of librarians, figures from the city’s annual literary festival and leading writers that she “wished” more people would open such facilities as she officially launched Ratho Library in Newbridge.

Her words were echoed by celebrated Scottish crime writer Sir Ian Rankin, who praised the resources his local centre provided when he was growing up, saying: “Without libraries I wouldn’t be here.”

The Queen, who has a passion for reading and officially supports a number of literary organisations, also chatted to Paula Hawkins, The Girl On The Train author, and told her: “I’m very partial to crime novels.”

The Queen officially opened Ratho Library in Newbridge, Edinburgh (Lesley Martin/PA) PA Media

In an impromptu speech, she said her visit “has just reinforced my belief in what wonderful places libraries are, literally from toddlers to pensioners – they manage to inspire a love of reading of books”.

She added: “To actually see a new library like this… I wish a lot of other people would follow your example and open more libraries all over the country, because I think, sadly, a lot of them have been closing down.

“So to see something as wonderful as this being reopened is all to the credit to all of you who’ve made it happen.”

The BBC reported in September that more than 180 council-run libraries have either closed or been handed over to volunteer groups in the UK since 2016 after the corporation submitted freedom of information requests.

The facility is a partnership with Edinburgh International Book Festival and Edinburgh City Libraries (Lesley Martin/PA) PA Media

In contrast, City of Edinburgh Council has made a commitment to its 28 public libraries to continue developing the resources as thriving community spaces.

Sir Ian, famed for his series of Inspector Rebus books, is also Deputy Lieutenant of Edinburgh, and said following the royal visit: “Libraries are an easy cut and I can understand why councils do it – it’s an invisible cut, almost.

“But it’s such a crucial thing – libraries are crucial for every generation, from the very beginning to the very end.”Sir Ian added that to “be a reader is to be a citizen of the world as fully as you can be”.

Camilla’s visit also marked the launch of a five-year initiative by the Edinburgh International Book Festival in partnership with Edinburgh City Libraries.

Called Paper Trails, the project supported by Sir Ian will operate in five local libraries, including Ratho Library, to promote literature in local communities, including using the mobile library service to bring authors and artists into care homes.

The community of Ratho was served by a mobile library while the permanent facility was rebuilt, opening in the spring, and Camilla toured a similar mobile unit and joked with Sir Ian when she spotted some of his novels on the shelves.

The director of the Edinburgh Book Festival Jenny Niven was also part of the event, alongside Sir Ian Rankin (Lesley Martin/PA) PA Media

She quipped “I’m sure they go down very well with the readers,” before donating a collection of books.

During her visit, the Queen also sat down with a group of children from a nursery which shares its premises with the library and also met a group of budding authors and poets from the Citizen Collective Young People’s Writers Programme.

She told them: “I can see I’ve met you at very early stages in your career – good luck.”