Like many people who used libraries in childhood, I have fond memories of them.

My mum would take us to Eccleshill library after school, and we’d choose assorted books from the children’s section while she lost herself in a world of historic fiction. Armed with piles of books, I enjoyed the ritual of having them stamped at the desk then taking them home for a fortnight.

It was largely down to libraries that I became an avid reader as a child, and I have loved books ever since. As an adult, my library usage dwindled, mainly because I moved around the country, but in recent years, I’ve become re-acquainted with the simple pleasure of book-borrowing.

My young nephews have discovered this too, and it’s heartening to see them become animated about their choice of books – when they’re not trying to blow each other up on the Xbox.

Relishing the independence of selecting their own reading material, they tend to avoid cosy bedtime stories. Aged eight, Sam once came home with hefty tomes about First World War weaponry and the history of slavery, while Jack has been known to pick camper van and trolleybus manuals. Sadly, fewer people use libraries these days, leaving them vulnerable to zealous cuts to public services. Inevitably, hundreds face closure nationwide.

Bradford libraries cost nearly £6 million to run in 2009/10, yet according to the Council, only a third of people use them, so it’s no surprise that cuts to the service haven’t been ruled out.

Libraries Minister Ed Vaizey says it’s up to local communities to keep libraries open, with volunteers working alongside librarians. But the only way communities will make full use of libraries is if they’re aware of the facilities on offer.

Last week, I went to Bradford Central Library to look at a Holocaust memorial exhibition. It included a list of recommended books and films, and information about accessing information online.

I got talking to a member of staff who told me about the library’s reading group for people with mental health problems, informal book club for teenagers, and regular family activities. Yes, there are quiet areas where people browse bookshelves, leaf through newspapers and settle down to studying, but the library is also somewhere you can borrow DVDs, CDs and computer games, use the internet, trace your family tree, join a social club, or simply hang out and drink coffee. Libraries offer a safe, informal environment for everyone from toddlers to pensioners – and they’re free. Axing libraries would tear at the soul of our communities, but it’s down to us whether we use them or lose them.