Placards were raised, voices carried across the crowd and a letter was handed directly to council leaders as campaigners warned that Devon’s libraries are facing a “devastating impact” under proposed changes that could reduce staffed opening hours by around 30 per cent.

A public consultation into the future of Devon’s 50 libraries is due to close on Sunday, February 23 , with more than 20,000 responses submitted so far, according to councillors. The proposals, put forward by Devon County Council, include reducing staffed core opening hours from 1,294 hours and 45 minutes per week to 914 hours and 30 minutes per week – just over 70 per cent of current provision.

The authority is also exploring greater use of volunteers, community-managed libraries and unstaffed access for registered users. It has said it is committed to keeping all libraries open and has set aside £1 million for “transformation and community-led improvement”.

Devon’s library service is run by the charity Libraries Unlimited. According to the council, libraries have more than 110,000 active users, with children the most engaged group, and recorded 2.6 million visits last year.

Among those addressing the crowd on Wednesday, February 18 was Solomon Elliott, organiser of the Save Devon’s Libraries Campaign.

“I started my career as an English teacher and I’m a primary school governor in Exeter and most importantly of all, I’m the father of my daughter Anna, who’s in that pram over there,” he said.

“Every week she goes to bounce and rhyme with her mum at local libraries across Exeter, but she cannot speak yet. But if she could, she would say a few things.

“The first thing she’d say is, I love the library because it’s the place where I sing nursery rhymes. It’s the place where I get to take my favourite books home and it’s the place where mummy chats with her friends while I play with mine.”

Solomon questioned the timing of budget discussions taking place while the consultation remained open.

“We’ve been told this is a public consultation. We’ve been told no decisions have been made. We’ve been told that Devon County Council is asking for our views, but what’s happening does not match those claims,” he said.

Referring to the proposed reduction in funding from around £7 million to £6.5 million, he added: “They’ve already made their decision way before the consultation is closed, and also before it opened on December 1 as well.

“These cuts will have a devastating impact on our library staff. Many already work second jobs, many are already under financial strain. Cutting hours means cutting income.

“Our libraries are not failing, they are thriving.”

He said campaigners would continue to press for the proposals to be withdrawn.

“In half an hour or so, we’re going to deliver you a letter calling for these proposals to be scrapped and until that happens, we’ll keep turning up, we’ll keep speaking out and we’ll keep demanding that Devon County Council keeps their hands off our libraries.”

A full council meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 24 .

Cllr Duncan Wood, Exeter City councillor for Pinhoe, said his local branch currently opens for 15 hours over five days but could be reduced to six hours over two days.

“That’s two three-hour slots,” he said. “How many people can fit in exactly three hours, twice a week?

“Currently the libraries are thriving. Currently they’re in our communities where they matter. If we drop it down to just one or two key buildings, we are really failing in providing a service.”

David McClaren, from Topsham, said his local library was currently open for ten hours per week and could fall to six.

“The place is absolutely heaving on the days that it’s open,” he said. “There’s definitely a demand and it should be kept and the hours should be increased, not decreased.”

He also raised concerns about proposed hours coinciding with school times.

“A valuable resource for children,” he said.

Sian Smith, from Ottery St Mary, said 93 people had attended a recent protest in her town.

“We think of our library as amazing value for money,” she said. “We have 35 activities and services every week. Thirty-five for that amount of money is just crazy value.”

She described the library as a “community hub” and a safe space for families, including those with special needs.

“We are very proud of our library and we are very proud of our staff,” she added. “We are not going to let it go.”

Tim Bridger, chair of the Friends at Tiverton Library, said the proposed savings represented a small proportion of the council’s overall budget.

“These are trivial amounts of money that will have incredible knock-on costs,” he said. “The amount this saves will be dwarfed by the impact on our community.”

Genevieve Bailey, a student at Exeter University, said libraries were “a lifeline” for young people.

“Reducing the opening hours of libraries across Devon is absolutely ridiculous,” she said. “You’re asking young people to succeed while taking away the very place that makes that success possible.”

She added: “Libraries are not a luxury, they’re a lifeline.”

Sue Aves, a resident of Exeter, said libraries had provided a safe space for her children as they grew up.

“If ever there was a problem, they would go there,” she said. “It is a safe place for everybody of all ages.”

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, cabinet member for rural affairs and broadband at Devon County Council, said libraries were “not an optional extra or a luxury”.

“They’re a lifeline for many,” she said. “They are places of opportunity, learning, connection and safety.”

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin said the council was not closing any of its 50 libraries and had announced an additional £425,000 to support delivery of the service, alongside a £1 million reserve to support transformation and rural hubs.

“We are not actually cutting funding, but we do need to look at ways to provide the library service differently,” she said.

“The consultation is still underway while we’re having to set a balanced budget.

“We will consider the consultation results thoughtfully and carefully and importantly we will do so now with a funding position that backs up that commitment with a genuine intent to make this work.”

She added: “I know that there is a positive future for every single library here in Devon. So we have committed to not closing any.”

The consultation can be accessed online at https://devonlibraries.commonplace.is/