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Margaret Atwood: '“People support libraries, but sometimes don’t understand that it takes people to make them run. Just as it takes writers to write new books.'Mark Blinch/Reuters

Margaret Atwood – who sparred with Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his brother last summer over proposed cuts to library branches – is speaking out in defence of the city's 2,300 striking library workers.

The bestselling author, a galvanizing figure in the huge public outcry over proposed library cuts, is credited by some for emboldening the striking workers in their latest battle against the city's austerity measures.

"I don't think people understand what exactly is in play," Ms. Atwood said in an e-mail Monday to The Globe and Mail. "People support libraries, but sometimes don't understand that it takes people to make them run. Just as it takes writers to write new books."

Ms. Atwood later took to Twitter to tell her 312,370 followers about the weekend read-in and rally by The Writers' Union of Canada in support of the striking workers.

She told The Globe she is out of town working on a new novel and was unable to attend the Sunday event. As a result, she said she is not "up to speed," on the labour situation.

The strike is in its second week with no sign of a resolution.

Maureen O'Reilly, president of the union local representing library workers, said employment security remains a major issue in negotiations. The library is trying to impose similar language to that agreed to by the city's outside workers, which in the case of her local would leave more than half of its members vulnerable to layoff.

Ms. O'Reilly said support from such a prominent writer means a lot to the striking workers. "Obviously, to have somebody of her profile and the respect that she has in our community speaking out on our behalf, it's certainly very supporting to the bargaining team and to the library workers," Ms. O'Reilly said. "She has such a large following that she can get our message out to even more people."

As a Torontonian, Ms. Atwood also is aware of the role public libraries have in the city, Ms. O'Reilly added.

The chair of the library board, councillor Paul Ainslie, did not reply to requests for an update of the city's position.

The fight to preserve the city's 98 branches got a major boost last year after Ms. Atwood tweeted the link to an online petition protesting against the cuts – a move that crashed the petition's server and set off a debate between her and Councillor Doug Ford, the mayor's brother and closest adviser.

Councillor Ford declared at the time that he would close one particular branch in his ward "in a heartbeat," and he "wouldn't have a clue" who Margaret Atwood was if she passed him on the street. A grassroots "Margaret Atwood for Mayor" campaign blossomed after Ms. Atwood responded with jibes at the "twin Fordmayor."

With a report from Kelly Grant

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