BOOK lovers took out about 1,500 books in 90 minutes in a mass book withdrawal at Wiveliscombe Library on Friday afternoon.

The event was a protest against the threatened closure of the library in The Square and was a repeat of a similar protest in 2011 when the library was also threatened with closure.

Campaigner Pauline Homeshaw said: “It was great work by staff who had the massive task of checking all the books out and then checking them all back in.

“A great team of volunteers helped to bring the books back into the library, in order and type, to get them back on the shelves ready for business the next day.”

Somerset County Council is consulting on proposals to close 15 of the 34 council-run libraries in the county if community involvement to help keep them open is not forthcoming. The consultation runs until Wednesday, June 13.

The council has suggested Wiveliscombe Library, which costs £23,500 to operate and attracts 23,000 visits a year, could be run by volunteers or even replaced by a mobile service.

Mrs Homeshaw added: “The Friends of Wiveliscombe Library are now compiling their formal response to Somerset County Council and their wish is that nothing changes at Wivey library – the status quo remains.”