HARRY Potter fans mingled with students of Alcuin as they marched in protest at the proposed closure of York Minster library.

The 50 objectors gathered in Exhibition Square yesterday before marching through High Petergate, past the Minster and to the library's entrance.

Banners at their head proclaimed "Save The Minster Library," "Books Not Bucks" and "Only Barbarians Close Libraries."

The Dean and Chapter of York Minster revealed last week that the library, in Dean Park, was to become the latest casualty of a financial crisis which has already seen the introduction of controversial entry charges for visitors.

Protest organiser Carolin Esser said: "What we are trying to show is that there is a concern among the people of York about this.

"I would say about half the people here are academics, but there are also housewives and tour guides and a lot of people I have never seen before.

"If you go to the flower stand or the supermarket, everybody is talking about it.

"Everybody is shocked, and that shows the wide strata of York's population that is concerned in this."

She said a letter-writing campaign to decision makers at the Minster had started, and petitions were being signed.

"There could be a Friends of the Minster Library group set up," she said.

"I really hope that this decision is just a matter of the Dean and Chapter underestimating the strength of feeling there is against the closure of this library.

"That's what this protest was intended to show."

The march ended with a "read-in" outside the library.

Brigadier Peter Lyddon, Chapter Clerk at the Minster, said: "We are delighted, in a democratic society, to see people expressing their opinions and we have no problem with that at all."

Updated: 09:49 Saturday, May 31, 2003