Following the news that an unknown amount of books and papers at Keighley Reference Library have been dumped in a skip or sold, readers from across the world have let us know what they think. A selection of views follows

SIR - I have read with shock that the Keighley Reference Library has ruthlessly thrown away, destroyed and/or sold materials that are important to archivists.

Such materials cannot be replaced and with their disappearance goes our history.

Though I live far away in Canada now, my great-grandfather lived in the area and carried on business there. My grandfather and his siblings went to school in Keighley in the 1840s. Due to a family rift we have only discovered our past in Yorkshire.

The historic documents were my source for finding out about our family roots. The materials were a history of the culture and life of the past. Surely if the library did not want to keep these records, some other means could have been found than deliberately destroying them. I cannot believe that a fully qualified librarian or historian would have taken such actions.

Helena Tetley Toronto, Canada

SIR - With regard to Ian Dewhirst's letter about Bradford Council's disregard for historical items donated to Keighley Reference Library for the benefit of the town's residents.

I would like to say that they have the same disregard for items donated to Keighley Museum, now held at Cliffe Castle.

In connection with Timothy Taylor & Co, Ltd, 150th anniversary in 2008, I have been trying to find a volunteer recruiting poster dating from 1861. Timothy Taylor, originally a tailor before starting brewing, is said to have made the Keighley (Aireworth) Volunteers their first uniforms. The staff based at Bolling Hall, Bradford, have been unable to find the poster, which is recorded as being in their collection. Cliffe Castle should also have a number of volunteer uniforms from various dates in the collection but now only one remains.

M Toft Windsor Avenue, Silsden

SIR - The very worrying revelation by Ian Dewhirst in last week's Keighley News that far from providing us with a better than ever library, after renovations it may actually be a building bereft of the majority of it's long built up collection of local archives and rare books.

Once more I suspect we are the attempted victims of political spin by Bradford Council and what is actually happening is municipal gratuitous vandalism.

One has to agree that in the 21st century the way we access information has changed, with the incredible rise of the world wide web, but only a very minute percentage of information is on the Internet and a lesser percentage of that relates to Keighley.

True also that some of these irreplaceable books being quietly shuffled away into private collections or even thrown into skips may be of limited interest but they may inspire a future Asa Briggs, Dennis Healey, Claire Rayner or Ian Dewhirst, to mention but a few of the celebrities who gained much use of the library in the past.

This collection, now it seems being disposed of by artifice, has been built up over decades by the good people of Keighley's hard work and taxes. Bradford Libraries have no right to cynically dispose of it by whatever means.

Looking back now one wonders whether the optimistic celebrations of the library's centenary in 2004 was actually a wake.

David Kirkley Carleton Street, Keighley

SIR - I would like to add my concerns to those expressed by Ian Dewhirst regarding the future of Keighley Library.

Recently I wrote to the head of Bradford Libraries asking for an assurance that "material" which was being moved off-site to allow work on the first floor to be carried out, would be returned to us intact. I feared that precious local archives and historical data might be "deleted from stock" as has happened to so many of our lending library books over the last few years.

I asked for information sharing and consultation with Keighley people who use the reference library before anything from there is discarded or rehoused elsewhere.

I am still awaiting a reply to my letter but after reading Ian's letter I wonder whether my plea was made too late. I hope not.

Like Ian I deplore the "dumming down" of the general public, which results in a feeling of helplessness to change or even modify unacceptable decisions taken by others on their behalf.

The culture and heritage of any community is important to it. The Carnegie Library is an important part of Keighley's heritage and it also houses precious evidence of that heritage in its archives.

While deploring the general neglect of the building and the loss of many of our lending library books, I did at least think that the quality of our reference library collection of local documents and data, expertly collected, catalogues and cared for over many years, was better than a great quantity of lending books.

Sadly, if, as seems to be the case, our local archives are disappearing, then we will have neither quality of quantity.

BARBARA BAILEY Scott Lane West, Riddlesden

SIR - Re the letter about books from the library being dumped in a skip.

I had to read it several times to believe what I was reading. It is scandalous that employees of a library of a large centre such as Keighley are unaware that they are merely temporary custodians of a valuable resource, which belongs to the people of the town and any decision to dispose of any books, and in particular any books of a collection which have been gifted to the library, thereby the citizens of Keighley, should have a public airing before any action is taken.

Have these people who authorised this clean out any feeling for the history of the place and the value to future generations? It makes me question the qualifications these people have to hold a position of responsibility. They obviously have no empathy for the town of Keighley and its people.

It also begs the question what other treasures have been disposed of. Is the Book of Memories still intact for instance? I think a stocktaking is required.

Bill Walsh Maxwelton Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand

SIR - In connection with Ian Dewhirst's letter in last week's issue regarding the "clearing up" of Keighley Library's reference section, which I personally have attempted to visit quite a few times over the past year - I do hope this does not mean the loss of any of Cowling's historic documents and artifacts deposited in good faith by our residents and friends, both past and present, and left there for the study and interest of future generations.

Cowling has quite a lot of information stored in several different places but we belong to the Craven District and not Bradford Met.

I am told items were taken to Keighley simply due to easier access in the days of less transport, only one bus journey to Keighley, instead of two to Skipton.

Therefore I wonder just what is our legal position should we wish to transfer Cowling's stock held in Keighley Library, not forgetting our many documents held in Bradford Library also?

Written confirmation would be appreciated.

Joan M. Tindale Pinnacle View, Cowling.

Member of Cowling Moonrakers History Group

SIR - Ian Dewhirst, one of Keighley's really true remaining unnoticed treasures, not sold off, or demolished to make way for a profitable housing estate by the now discredited Bradford Asset Management Department has had a letter published in the Keighley News, regarding the Bradford City barbarians who have deliberately desecrated Keighley Library.

Mr Dewhirst's seemingly mild rebuke to those responsible, I feel needs amplifying. I believe the near criminal vandalising of Keighley Library by Bradford is outrageous in the extreme but is par for the course as Bradford, now known for short-sighted policies, policies that resulted in Bradford becoming not only an economic disaster but culturally and educationally a laughing stock.

In stunned but horrified silence in Keighley Town Hall, I listened, with councillors, to Cllr Siobhan Alderson as the woman rightly castigated Bradford Council for its total disrespect for Keighley Library's heritage as literary valued books were skipped, probably to be burnt at a later date.

Valuable books not burnt but spirited away from the Keighley reference department should be immediately returned and catalogued. Those responsible for the financial loss should then be named. If that is not possible they should be given a job intellectually less demanding, such as cultural attach to those Keighley Bradford district councillors who have not created a roar of anger at the damage being caused by Bradford officials at the continuing plunder and vandalising of Keighley.

David Samuels Highcroft Gardens, Thwaites Brow

SIR - I was shocked and outraged to read Ian Dewhirst's letter about City Barbarians last week.

Ian alleges that a lot of valuable reference library material, which incidentally he devoted much of his professional life building up, has been given away to antiquarian book dealers. This was our (the people of Keighley's) property and they had no right to give it away. If what Ian says can be proved in a court of law, we should see those library chiefs, who authorised this, prosecuted for theft of our property. This might sound radical but surely the definition of theft is fulfilled in these circumstances. They have dishonestly appropriated our property - with the intention to permanently deprive us of it.

I and many others have donated material to this library over the years. I assumed my items would find a safe haven in the library in perpetuity and so be of use to others. If I find my donated items missing, can I prosecute for theft? According to Ian they have ordered disposal of even more material - giving us notice of further thefts to be committed. Are our library chiefs insane as well as criminal? Can we have some names please and hold them to account?

Through the chair (that's you Mr. Editor) can I ask Ian, will you come with me to the police station and we will lay a complaint of theft? The police would then have a duty to investigate and are obliged to make efforts to recover the stolen property? Were any records made of what was given and to whom? No doubt any such records will also have been stolen.

I own the former Police Station of Haworth (now a private house) which was built in 1907. Now 100 years later I can find nothing in the reference library telling me anything about it. What about my centenary celebrations? Where are the records?

Jens Hislop Haworth

SIR - On December 3 last, I wrote a letter to you (which you did not publish) in which I itemised the steps Bradford Council has taken over the last 30 year to destroy Keighley Central Library and forecast what they might do in the future to complete their task.

I thought they would do exactly that about which Ian Dewhirst complains so forcible, that is, to put the books in boxes and spirit them away, probably never to be seen again.

What will happen when the repairs to the premises are completed? Bradford will own a commodious vacant town centre building - far too good for a library - which will command a high rent for prestigious offices or even better attract a sale price which can be spent in inner-city Bradford.

J HARRINGTON Banks Lane, Riddlesden

SIR - SIR - Even if its just one item that as been lost, it is not Bradford Councils right to get rid of move anything belonging to the town of Keighley.

It's an insult now going into Keighley Library and being told that any book needed must be ordered from the main council library in Bradford. Our library, built with funds raised by the townsfolk and £10,000 from Mr Carnegie, a close friend of Sir Swire Smith, should be run by Keighley people because that is what it was built for. Not for Bradford fat cats to dip into so their library is kept topped up.

So to sum it up, Bradford, keep your grubby mitts off our library and its stock!

Christopher M Kelly Lawcliffe Crescent.

Haworth