LIBRARY bosses have been blasted as "hypocrites" for trumpeting hi-tech services while closing three Prestwich libraries.

The rumpus comes on the eve of National Libraries Week, for which Bury Council is staging a variety of events to promote the many services at borough libraries.

The attacks have been made in an anonymous letter to Sedgley councillor David Willis, chairman of the council's leisure services committee.

The writer was incensed by Coun Willis's words in an article in the Bury Times which outlined the latest hi-tech developments in libraries.

"How can you say 'our libraries have always been very community minded and catered to local needs' when your council is closing three branch libraries?" says the letter. "How big a hypocrite are you?"

The writer says young people and especially pensioners use libraries most, and are not able to travel to the Longfield Centre.

That is the only library left in Prestwich following the closure of Polefield, Carr Clough and Brooklands branches to help save the council money.

"I hope you and your fellow councillors have great fun surfing the Internet at the expense of lonely, book-starved senior citizens this winter," adds the letter.

"Public libraries' first priority should be books, not computers."

Coun Willis said he was "very annoyed" that the author chose to remain anonymous, saying he was always willing to answer questions about services.

"It was not my choice to close down three branch libraries and we take no pleasure in that, but we have to balance the books," he said.

"We try to ensure that the service that is left is still an improving service, but economics have to be adhered to."

Coun Willis pointed out that even after the closures, Prestwich would have the same number of libraries - one - as other areas of the borough including Bury, Radcliffe and Whitefield.

"If we were starting with a blank piece of paper, we would not have had the three libraries in the places they were," he said.

"Huge areas of north Bury have no branch libraries at all."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.