ON any list of Things The Victorians Did For Us, one of the best would surely be public libraries.

But in recent times, this valued service has been under serious threat.

Dorset County Council told seven communities that they would have to run their own libraries or lose them.

Libraries have been disappearing all over the country. Even a popular author, Terry Deary of Horrible Histories fame, chimed in to say they had “had their day”.

So Bournemouth council should be commended vowing to keep all its 10 libraries and its home library service.

There is still £1.7million to be saved and the prospect of cutting the stock budget and “reviewing” opening hours is not so welcome.

But the council’s positive attitude is laudable. Everyone, from the toddlers at story time to the pensioners reading books they could not afford to buy, will be grateful if the council is as good as its word.