WHEN it comes to transfer of services from Darlington’s Crown Street library to the Dolphin Centre, one of the main arguments used by Cllr Nick Wallis is that only one-in-12 of Darlington residents use the lending library. As usual this is a very narrow, suits him, point of view.

What he omits to take into account is that the lending library is only a small part of the Crown Street activity. The Crown Street building should more properly be recognised as a community centre – a jewel in the crown.

Other activities are:

1. Art exhibitions (after the Art Centre was axed)

2. The children’s library. This is used three or four times a week by a good sized group of children and parents. From the noise, these are hugely enjoyable. And, of course, they are in the electronic age as an educational tool.

3. The reference library. This is busy all day as people come and go. I have never ever found it empty.

4. The E-library. This is always busy and sometimes you have to queue for access.

5. Local studies which is a treasure trove of historical documents etc. Chris Lloyd recently wrote a very moving article of what it meant to him and the paucity of the alternative location. Moving would be another great loss to Darlington.

6. Answering tourist enquiries.

A long time ago, Darlington town council recognised that tourism was a strong growth possibility for employment, so they axed the TI centre.

To move these services will be another step towards the death of the town centre.

Philip Cheesbrough, Darlington