The Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to save the Surrey Performing Arts Library and have already received strong support from Surrey residents who have reacted with dismay on hearing of the threatened closure and of the County Council’s consultation exercise which will give residents just two weeks to respond with their views on this proposal.

The Library, which is currently based near Dorking at Denbies Wine Estate, houses a truly unique collection of music, theatre, orchestral and dance materials available for public loan. It also holds a specialist Vaughan Williams collection, a permanent display which covers the life and works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) and which commemorates his strong links with the area where he lived and where he composed some of his most important pieces.

We believe that the Performing Arts Library is a great asset to the County. Its impact is immense: it not only benefits the many groups that use play scripts and musical scores to perform plays and orchestral works, but also benefits the audiences who enjoy the performances. Overall, it is an important part of Surrey’s musical and artistic heritage and, if we were to lose such a specialist service alongside the many dedicated and knowledgeable staff, it would be an act of great folly.

Our petition can be signed at: http://scc.lib.dm/P22S

The County Council consultation can be found at: https://www.surreysays.co.uk/libraries-service/38ff7ab4/