LOCAL campaigns to protect precious community libraries are taking to the streets to tell council bosses closures will not be tolerated.

Today the Save Glasgow Libraries Campaign is restarting its read-ins outside Langside and Pollokshields libraries.

And Save Whiteinch Library is putting out a call for locals to back plans for a "protest spot" outside the under-threat building.

Last year groups of residents held Saturday morning read-ins outside three South Side libraries - Langside, Pollokshields and Govanhill.

The demonstrations were designed to show council bosses how well used and well loved the facilities are.

And the group believed its work had been a success.

But it has now emerged that while Govanhill Library will be reopening next week, Pollokshields and Langside Library are not expected to reopen until August.

They are among a long list of city facilities that face mergers, closures and an uncertain future.

A spokeswoman for Save Glasgow Libraries Campaign said: "We believed what Glasgow Life had told us - we were under the impression that in the next wave of libraries to open these three would be included in that.

"We met up in March and thought we were meeting to come up with ways to thank people for their work in keeping the libraries open.

"We really believed we had been successful so we have been completely blindsided by this news."

"There has been no community engagement from Glasgow Life and we don't trust them now to be honest with us."

The campaign spokeswoman added: "Council leader Susan Aitken said at a December council meeting, 'I have repeatedly said time and again that all libraries will re-open and it is really disappointing to hear members continually question that and continually spread fear in communities that won't happen'.

"Yet it is now."

Langside Library and Pollokshields Library were both earmarked for repairs and it is understood that Langside has suffered water damage while closed during the pandemic.

But local councillor Archie Graham said the repairs required are not extensive and would not explain keeping the library closed until August.

He said: "Libraries are vital to the physical and mental well being of the people of Glasgow and Langside is a very popular local library.

"It is extremely disappointing to learn that Langside library will not reopen until the end of August at the earliest.

"By the end of August my constituents will have been unable to use the library for 18 months.

"I am calling on the leader of the council who, like myself, represents the area to allocate the resources to Glasgow Life to get our library reopened so that our constituents can use it over the summer months.

"I will be there today to support the campaign to get our library reopened."

Meanwhile, the campaign to Save Whiteinch Library is inviting the members of the public to attach protest placards and mementos to the gates and railings in protest at the council’s decision to close it permanently.

Elizabeth Brown, spokeswoman for Whiteinch Community Council, said: "The communities around the library are uniformly angry about Glasgow Council’s plan to relocate the library, to Scotstoun Stadium, which is a mile away and where it is not needed.

"People want to show their unhappiness with councillors Susan Aitken and David McDonald as well as with the officials who have taken this decision, a decision which has been without consultation with the community or its elected representatives

"We would obviously now prefer to protest in force at the City Chambers but the current covid safety regulations do not permit this.

"Instead, we are asking people from Whiteinch, Scotstoun, Jordanhill, Thornwood and Broomhill to help us create a visible ‘protest spot’ on the library’s railings.

"This is so the authorities can literally see how upset the community is with the council’s decision."

The Save Whiteinch Library campaign is asking local people to create placards and mementos to attach to the library’s gates and railings to help highlight the issue.

People can be as creative as they wish in making items for display.

The campaign would particularly welcome objects from local children, as children are a vital part of the library community and will suffer most from this arbitrary and continued closure.

The read-ins will take place outside Pollokshields and Langside Libraries on Saturday mornings from 11am until noon.

Those who can't make it along in person are asked to write to Susan Aitken and follow the campaign on social media.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow Life said: "Some of the venues that we’re reopening have been closed since lockdown first started last March and therefore need to be modified and new processes introduced to ensure safety and enhanced hygiene measures are at the heart of how we operate."