‘Yep. We’ve got it all covered,’ he said tilting his head at the two girls already setting out paper cups.

Before long they had a throng of people. Christine’s poster campaign and Tom’s door-to-door flyer drop had clearly stirred up the locals. Within ten minutes it was standing room only and Tom, Farah and Amy had a smooth system going on the drinks. The noise in the room was quite something and multiple conversations all on the same subject competed for air space.

Maggie brought the meeting to order. ‘I’d like to introduce Christine, who is our resident librarian.’

Christine got to her feet and as all eyes fixed on her she instantly challenged Tom in the who can turn red the quickest competition. ‘Err. Oh. Well. Thanks, everyone, for coming. Um. Yes. Well. I’m Christine and I’m the librarian here,’ she repeated. ‘But I’m not actually allowed to be at the meeting.’ She looked to Maggie, her eyes pleading.

‘Shall I say a few words?’ said Maggie.

Christine’s bum hit her seat so fast she almost bounced back up again.

‘Right,’ said Maggie, clapping her hands together. ‘The purpose of this meeting is to make sure everyone has the facts about the library’s situation, share our plan of action and seek your input and support to save our library!’ Her voice rose at the end and there was a ripple of applause. ‘This is how it is. Compton Mallow library is earmarked for closure in ten weeks’ time. This means if we do nothing we lose this fabulous community asset along with this delightful building and the ripples of what this means for our community will affect countless generations to come.’

Maggie explained that the council’s reasoning for the plan to close the facility was based entirely on usage numbers, she highlighted all the library’s current facilities and went through the plan she had agreed with Christine, one she had only had to make a couple of compromises on. ‘What else can we do to utilise this amazing facility?’

Farah had moved from the tea-making station and was poised to make notes. Tom was rationing the biscuits as they were disappearing fast.

A middle-aged mum put her hand up to speak. ‘I used to bring my eldest daughter here to reading time when she was a toddler but you don’t have it anymore.’

‘Great suggestion,’ said Maggie. ‘We’ll add it to the list.’

‘Hi, I’m Lorna Booth and I run the Cedars nursing home,’ said a suited woman with a shock of neat grey hair. ‘I’m interested—’

‘I’m Alice,’ said a wizened lady sitting next to her.

Lorna didn’t look like she welcomed being interrupted. ‘I brought Alice in for a haircut. Anyway, the council have offered to provide a mobile library for us, which would be far better because we can’t bring our residents in here.’