PEOPLE power is vital in the fight to save Darlington's under-threat library services, a meeting of a newly formed Friends group was told tonight (Wednesday).

Around 30 people turned up at Crown Street Library in Darlington for the inaugural meeting of the Friends of Darlington Libraries.

Chaired by former Liberal Democrat councillor and keen preserver of the town's heritage Alan Macnab, the meeting was also addressed by Darlington Liberal Democrat councillor Anne-Marie Curry and featured questions from residents concerned at the authority's proposal to move the Crown Street Library to the Dolphin Centre, close the Cockerton branch and end the mobile library service.

Mr Macnab said the Friends group was not being set up to run the library, rather to support the facility.

"We are a volunteer group of people who care deeply about the library services and want to help preserve, protect and develop the service," he said.

He said the group would like to see the Crown Street and Cockerton services remain in their existing buildings, the mobile library continue to run and the services promoted as a community resource for the benefit of the people of Darlington.

"The Friends will achieve these aims by developing cooperation between the library service provided by Darlington Borough Council and the communities in Darlington, facilitating communication with the communities and the library services of Darlington Borough Council, encouraging use of the library service by people of all ages, recruiting and organising volunteers for specific purposes, fundraising and sponsorship, helping safeguard the future of the library service in Darlington and to develop innovations."

Ms Curry said a member of the Pease family had visited the library a couple of weeks ago and was saddened at the thought of it being moved. She urged concerned members of the public to sign The Northern Echo's petition to save the service.

"What we are trying to do with the help of The Northern Echo's petition is to get as many signatures as possible. If you haven't actually signed it or you want to help, pop into The Northern Echo, get a handful of those petitions and go and get signatures for us.

"There have been groups of us standing on High Row and outside the library, getting thousands and thousands of signatures. We want more.

"The more signatures we get the better chance we have of keeping it here."

Mr Macnab said people had signed the petition, not only from Darlington, but also from South Durham and North Yorkshire.

"This is a very beautiful building that was gifted to the people of Darlington," he said. "So far, all I have heard from the people of Darlington is that they want to keep it here forever. They want it to remain as a library, as a community facility, forever."