The burning of Spellow library broke my heart – but books will prevail over bigotry | Olivia Sung

Liverpool has long been known for its proud library culture, but that love came under threat recently when Spellow library was torched by far-right rioters. Hundreds of books were destroyed in the fire. Libraries have always been central to my life, starting with my memories of visiting Garston library with my parents when I was four. I fell in love with the rows of spines on the shelves and chose a tattered Percy the Park Keeper novel, only to be scolded by my dad for taking off its protective plastic. My dad promised to fix it, tautening the staples with tweezers and using discreet PVA glue. My father used Garston’s resources himself in the ‘70s when he was studying to be a printer. This is where he gained his expertise in how books are made and fixed, instilling in me a belief that we must protect library books since they expand our horizons.

Later, I moved to Wavertree, and my mum would take me to the local library after school. Here, I discovered new authors thanks to librarians. I fell in love with Roald Dahl’s Matilda, and libraries became a haven during the 2008 financial crisis which hit my family hard. Libraries were a sanctuary for me in my time of financial struggle, allowing me to read classics by Keats, Shelley, and Shakespeare for free, which helped me get into Oxford to study English. This was a statistical improbability for a working-class, mixed-race girl from Liverpool. Libraries helped me fight my impostor syndrome by showing me I already belonged.

Libraries serve various purposes in different people’s lives, and this was exemplified by my cousin who attended literacy classes in Toxteth and a friend who attended group PTSD sessions. Libraries allow people to enhance their IT skills and help retiree’s research family history, such as my uncle. Recently, during a period of illness, the third floor of Liverpool’s Central Library was my convalescent haven as I delved into Liverpool’s immigration history and learned how people of Chinese descent experienced racism, assimilation, and acceptance. Libraries remind us of our roots and help us to grow again.

This is what made the burning of Spellow library so disheartening. However, the community’s response has given some hope. A crowdfunding campaign has gone viral, indicating that there are many people who want to protect libraries rather than destroy them. Our libraries are not just a collection of books, they are also a locus of empathy, hope, and knowledge that can transform lives for the better. The recent spate of far-right violence in the UK is unfortunate, but the response from within the community proves that the flames can never diminish the burning passion for knowledge and empathy that libraries represent

Read the full article from The Guardian here: Read More