THE threat of closure hanging over Grassington library would once have been considered absurd. In today's world of legislation and fears of litigation it is a sad indictment of the times we live in.

It's a pleasant little library in Grassington. We don't know how long it has served the community, but it has carried on delivering a service quietly and efficiently for a long, long time.

Sure, the facilities are not ideal - no staff toilets for a start. But generations of local workers have made do quite happily and, Grassington being a friendly 'let's help each other' type of community, staff have probably made use of neighbouring facilities.

Nor was there any provision for the disabled. Unfortunate and, if one was building new premises, then this would rightly be a design imperative.

The point was that it was there, a focal point, an asset, a service.

Now, because of those drawbacks, it will have to close. It hasn't room for computers. It can't handle DVDs. So what is the solution: Shut it down! Franz Kafka would have been proud.

This paper has highlighted how good the mobile library service is - but it is still a poor substitute, despite all its facilities for wheelchairs, for a permanent building.

But regulations have no flexibility to take account of local circumstances. Grassington library is a square peg which doesn't fit into a round hole, therefore it must be closed.

We are certain the people of Grassington would prefer a library with a few flaws to no library at all.