A PETITION of 13,636 signatures protesting against the threatened closure of 20 Dorset libraries will be handed in to County Hall today.

It has been organised by Ad Lib, a new association of the Friends of Dorset Libraries, to ensure the county council’s plans to shut 20 of the 34 libraries get a full debate at a crunch meeting on February 17.

Protesters will also be able to address the council.

Ad Lib’s Mike Chaney said: “We only needed 1,000 to comply with the rules, so allowed only one week to gather them. But during those seven days we were amazed by the eagerness of people all over Dorset to put their names down to show their anger at the closure proposals.”

Libraries, including Colehill, Sturminster Newton and West Moors will have their funding cut off in April 2012 if the proposed closures go ahead.