U3A in Trouble – 800 Public Libraries to Pack Up

Libraries have always been considered to be the cosiest platforms with unlimited resources of knowledge for people of all ages, especially the older people and the retirees. Unfortunately, plenty of public libraries are about to draw curtains, which is indeed bad news for all those who had plans to spend quality time there after retirement. For the old, this is equally shocking since the majority still prefer keeping their minds active by visiting such platforms. In fact, the University of the Third Age (U3A), the oldest University of the Third Age in Australia, will receive a big blow.

250,000 members are worried?

Indeed, it’s a serious issue since 250,000 members have come up with worries as what’s going to happen when they would lose the opportunity to gather source materials from these public libraries. People who are old usually visit their nearby libraries that help them get rid of travelling long distances, and most of these libraries will predictably stop existing in the coming years.?

Besides, there are many interest groups under U3A that rely on local libraries to accumulate materials for research. So, the U3A News said that there are over 30 U3As that are currently running campaigns with the intention to save their local libraries from closure. Surprisingly, around 800 public libraries throughout Australia are about to shut down, which stands equivalent to 1/5th of the total and this is indeed an unpleasant scenario.

U3A operates on its own

U3A however received considerable support from the government. As a result, the organisation now requires no state-funding and it’s absolutely self-directed. In other words, people here take pleasure to learn on their own and therefore there are no teachers and group leaders here who can coordinate the learning efforts of a group. It’s their own members only who teach, fund and even take their own decisions.

One of the university’s oldest members, Alan Orme says, “We know that once lost, it will never return.” On the other hand, one of the U3A members in Oxfordshire, Nora Dunn, aged 90, said that her local library that rests in the local school only is attended mostly by children and villagers. So, if it’s shut down, there will be big problems. “It will particularly affect my husband and myself because we are both housebound. I'm not looking forward to a bookless future”, she added.

Jackie and Colin Aylott, the members of U3A said that a proposal has come from Surrey Heath Borough Council to eliminate their weekly service of providing mobile library. What it means is that would be either a 2-mile journey to Bagshor or a 5-mile one to somewhere around Camberley for the nearest library service.

Founded in 1982, the U3A has experienced growth almost every year, and now, it comprises over a quarter of a million members. Where there are no qualifications required, no rigid curricula and no examinations compulsory, it’s indeed a more pleasurable organisation to attend. So, if the libraries can be saved, studying at the University of the Third Generation would always be a pleasure.

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