No Books for You

Threat of Read-In Shuts Down Grande Bibliothèque

NewsJulia Jones — Published February 29, 2012

The Grande Bibliothèque closed its doors Feb. 29 in response to a scheduled protest again tuition hikes.

Universty and CÉGEP students were invited to a read-in to take place between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Organizers stated on the Facebook event page that this was a peaceful action intended to raise awareness on tuition hikes and prove that “people have fear for no reason.”

The event invitation stated that the goal of the read-in was to “show that students want to learn, but knowledge should be accessible to all. The library is an excellent symbol.”

A statement from the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec said that action was taken in order to “ensure the safety of its users and employees and the integrity of its documents and collections.”

The Grande Bibliothèque plans to resume a normal schedule as soon as possible.