one of the greatest academic libraries in the country, York Minster library, is scheduled to close on August 31, this year.

Is it not odd that the decision to close the library coincides with the retirement of the Dean of York? Perhaps the scheduled closure was his way of giving York something to remember him by. Some gift!

Over a period of 11 years, I found all I needed at the library and the staff, whether full-time or not, were very knowledgeable and one wondered if the library catalogue had been implanted in their brains.

Even if a book were unavailable, suitable alternatives were suggested. Many students, readers and researchers are grateful for the knowledge and information obtained there which enabled them to get their degrees, write books, trace family histories and so forth.

What will I do now and where will I go when I visit York to do research?

It is a crying shame that the Minster library should close after such a long history. Regardless of what the Minster authorities may say, it must not close and we must make every effort to prevent this happening.

The Dean can go but the library must not.

B M Fane,

Lavender Street,

Brighton,

East Sussex.

Updated: 11:46 Saturday, May 31, 2003