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Public Affairs

Love Your Libraries

The Love Your Libraries campaign is calling on members to demonstrate just how important the professional library service is to you. Whether your local library is under threat of closure or not, the scale of the cuts across the UK means that it is vital that we speak up for our public libraries.
 
There are a number of ways in which you can get involved with the campaign:
·        Participate in the nation wide libraries celebration day on Saturday 4 February 2012 – the day will be the finale of a week of action.
·        Help us secure a debate in Parliament by reaching 100,000 signatures on our government e-petition. Please sign online at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1269.
·        Alternatively petition sheets are available from the Public Affairs department.
·        Sign our Love Your Libraries postcard to let the Libraries Minister know why libraries are so important. Copies are available from federation offices.

Embroider your favourite literary quotation – celebrate the WI’s creative credentials by taking part in our project to embroider your favourite literary quotation to illustrate the impact of libraries on our lives.

Violence Against Women

At the moment there is much publicity about  Violence Against Women.  Please take a moment to go to the website to fill out the answers to the questionnaire anonymously:  www.surveymonkey.com/s.  The return date has been extended.  Women's Aid can provide speakers.

Guidelines have been issued by N.F.W.I on the work so far regarding last year's resolution on The Inappropriate Detention of Prisoners suffering from Mental Problems.  Nine women have committed suicide in Styal Prison since 2002, and in March 2008 a jury found that the death of Valerie Hayes at the same prison was down to serious under-funding.

Investigation is also being undertaken into how climate change will affect the poor women of the world.  They are the ones who try to collect clean water and fuel. As availability worsens women have to walk further which affects their health and girls are forced to stay home from school in order to help.