I USED to read one book time and time again as a boy. It was called Knight Crusader and I relished it. But I only discovered it because I belonged to our local library.

Each week I’d cycle down to it and borrow Knight Crusader and a couple of other books that I’d finish before the week was out. Happy days.

Today, libraries are under threat in two ways. First, because of declining usage and, secondly, because of budget cuts.

So, with all the technological changes, would it matter today if some libraries closed?

I fear so. I can’t help recalling a reading skills survey of 64 nations that came out in December revealing that British teenagers fared unimpressively when compared with other nations. And, that our teenagers had a greater variation in reading skills compared with similar countries, attributed to the way class differences played out in our education system.

Literacy is a priceless whatever your age and the finest thing about libraries is that they’re free.

I don’t know how ebooks will impact on the nation’s reading but the loss of libraries will hit hardest the people least able to afford to read.

Libraries give everyone an equal chance to become a reader. Perhaps volunteers will provide a solution but, whatever happens, they shouldn’t be allowed to simply shut.

Right now Britain’s libraries need a Knight Crusader of their own.

They gave me the opportunity that everyone deserves to become a keen reader. Only yesterday I picked up and read The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest. (Well, the title, anyway. The rest of the book may take me several weeks.)