One way to get more readers in!

[Gob]

Council chiefs have come up with a bizarre way to persuade more people to borrow books - by staging pole dancing classes in a library.



Midlothian council is celebrating Love Your Library Day with a fitness session at Mayfield library in Dalkeith on February 2. The pole dancing is for over-16s only and will take place between 1.30pm and 3pm. It is believed to be the first time such an event has been held in Scotland by a local authority. Instructor Nikki Clark will offer a free, 90-minute workout on the day. She will be joined by girls who already attend a fitness class she runs at a leisure centre. Bob Constable, Midlothian council's cabinet member for public services and leisure, described the Library Day as a 'marvellous opportunity' to celebrate the role libraries play in the community.

He told the Daily Telegraph:'The pole fitness session is a fun and interesting way of encouraging more people into our libraries, trying out all the services on offer and ultimately borrowing more books.'

While guests swing on poles, local singers will perform and there will be sessions on novel writing. There are Scottish country dancing, head massages and an Xbox challenge for both children and their parents at other libraries in the Midlothian area. But one activity - using books as tennis bats - has been criticised by Laura Swaffield, chairman of The Library Campaign. She said: 'We all agree in particular that the more that people use our libraries the better, but I think using books as tennis bats is just a step too far.

'Pole dancing is a new way of drumming up support so I suppose if it works what the hell, we may as well give it a try. But books as tennis bats? I'm absolutely appalled.'

[oldr_n_wsr]

But books as tennis bats? I'm absolutely appalled.'

Now books used for spanking.......

[Sean]

My local library doesn't stock spank books...