WE owe a big thank-you to the Friends of Darlington Library who have worked hard to try and save the library for the people and their future families.

The Pease family gave the library as a gift many years ago so that we could enhance our education, and now we must put what we have learnt to good use.

The only thing free these days is Mother Nature and her wonders in flowers and fauna. So we must move with the times and if it is ‘our’ library, then we must raise money for its upkeep.

We could have been raising funds all the time the council has been wavering and wasting time in trying to close the library. I hope the councillors can give us the chance to make good.

We must not lose the beautiful building. The workmanship will never return. Unfortunately, we are living in throwaway years and the younger generation has not experienced the war years and known real deprivation and so do not value so much from our past.

Mavis Rivers-Horton, Darlington