ISLWYN MP Chris Evans has joined other politicians in campaigning for Britain’s libraries to be preserved.

They helped launch the All Party Parliamentary Group on Libraries (APPGL), which will seek to ensure that continued public sector cuts don’t devastate the provision.

The group was set up by members of parliament with support from the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and will work to raise awareness of the work libraries do in the community.

Despite Aberbargoed Library’s future being under review, there has been large investment in the provision in the Caerphilly county area.

The former Palace cinema in Risca, which sat derelict for 20 years, has recently reopened after undergoing a £2.25 million transformation. One of its main purposes will be to act as a library for the area.

Caerphilly council also invested £215,000 in Blackwood Library, which has recently reopened after a £215,000 refit.

Mr Evans said he had joined the APPGL so he could speak for libraries across the UK.

He said: “In Islwyn, we have several libraries which are central to their community.” He added that without these: “Young people will miss out on valuable reading resources, while elderly people will be denied internet access.

“Communities throughout Wales benefit from the services which our libraries offer and they make a fantastic contribution to all of our lives.”