Libraries will be celebrated at a two-week event to urge support amidst threats of cuts.

A packed schedule of events for all ages featuring talks with local writers will take place from February 2 at 11 centres across Kirklees.

It is the brainchild of Michelle Hodgson, director of Huddersfield Festival of Literature, who has built upon a one day national event on February 7.

She felt compelled to get involved due the impact of books on her life and worries over libraries’ futures.

Michelle, 49, said: “I was obviously aware that our libraries are under threat and felt that after attending a meeting about the future of my local library in Almondbury that the festival team should show their support by putting on an event.

“We have members of Kirklees Council’s library services team on our festival committee so I asked them if I could put on sessions with local authors who contact me about performing at the festival.”

Fourteen events are now on the bill at libraries such as Mirfield, Holmfirth, Honley, Almondbury and Batley, which are all under threat from closure by the council. The authority needs to save £2.1m on its budget and could close all libraries apart from Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

Authors due to speak include Chocolat author Joanne Harris, who will read from her short story collection A Cat, A Place and a Piece of String on February 7 at 2.30pm at Almondbury Library and historian Juliet Barker, who will discuss her new book England, Arise: The People, the King and the Great Revolt of 1381 at Huddersfield Library on February 4 at 1pm.

They will be joined by creative writing lecturer Michael Stewart, whose novel King Crow won the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize and will be the subject of a talk at Birstall Library on February 14 at 1.30pm and poet Amir Darwish, who will help present tales about what it is like to be an immigrant living in the UK at Dewsbury Library on National Libraries Day on February 7 at 2pm.

Others will address subjects as diverse as Alzheimer’s disease, traditional French bread making, puppet-making and steam punk.

Joanne Harris holding her MBE for services to Literature
Joanne Harris holding her MBE for services to Literature

Michelle said: “Not only will the events show the diversity of talented local writers and performers but it will bring people who may normally not use their libraries into them.

“It’s easy for us to think about how important libraries are but it’s another to go out and actually support them.

“I’ve always been a champion of libraries due to the impact they had on my life from when I was a child.

“They are incredibly important for learning in children and for adults who, through them, get help to enable them to get back into work. Essentially, they are vital parts of any town.

“While I know it’s a difficult time for the council, who are facing large budget cuts to other services, I don’t think libraries should be included in an either/or situation.

“We should be ensuring that we are able to live lives that are culturally enriched.

“I really do hope that we are not left with only two libraries in five years’ time.

“It would be an incredibly sad state of affairs if that happened.”

For more information on the National Libraries events go to http://www.litfest.org.uk/?q=diary . To book see www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls .