You what? #NLD13 So #Croydon

Despite wide national publicity of the event, Croydon have ignored Croydon residents' love and support for libraries by failing to mark National Libraries Day yet again. You'd have thought having been caught out last year by the Save Croydon Libraries Campaign and The Bookseller they would have upped their game and at least shown willing.

Alas, no.

Libraries? Loving them? You what? Nah!

Yet another Vicky Pollard moment.

We have actively resisted posting this info before the day as we know staff were pushed into a flurry of activity last year to cover up Croydon's complete lack of promotion of National Libraries Day in 2012 when Croydon were exposed by The Bookseller article. The pitiful displays throw together by already pressed staff were a sad reminder of Croydon's lack of care or support for our libraries.

For Croydon to repeat the total blanking of National Libraries Day in 2013 is clearly unforgivable and only highlights the authority's inability or unwillingness to celebrate our libraries.

This is the authority who takes funding from The Reading Agency, a staunch supporter of National Libraries Day, for the excellent Reading Activists project ( formerly MyVoiceUK) but Croydon have consistently failed to advertise the scheme. Today a small group of teens will attend an activity that the council consistently fails to advertise on its own website, including today's event on National Libraries Day.

This project could be reaching out and engaging with so many youth in a positive way.

The youth involved continue to try to promote the scheme but the council will not even support their efforts on social media. Other once thriving activities for youth have floundered also, run down from once heaving numbers with waiting lists to now regularly attracting only a handful or on several occasions no attendees.

Croydon really deserves better!

A sad reminder of  Croydon's hastily cobbled together displays to cover up last year.

Many suspect Croydon keeps so quiet about libraries to keep the attention off the deal being done to outsource them. Some transparency wouldn't go amiss. With local authorities across the country shouting about the value of libraries and what they have to offer today to celebrate National Libraries Day, Croydon is more interested in keeping a low profile.

That speaks volumes!