industrial action closed the Mitchell Library in Glasgow yesterday.
Striking staff began their week-long protest over pay cuts to librarians throughout the city.
Students trying to study for exams were turned away and a group of three-year-old children returning books had to go home disappointed.
First year Strathclyde University environmental planning student Calum Page, 23, from Stirling, arrived in the morning to study for an exam on Friday.
''I am very annoyed that the library is closed, but not with the people standing here. It's the bosses who have forced them to strike that I am angry at,'' he said.
''It's vital to the culture of Glasgow that public services like libraries are well looked after. I hope they get this pay deal sorted out soon.''
Six children from Mulberry Kindergarten, who visited the library with their carers, were upset as they had hoped to get new books after returning their old ones.
One of the nursery nurses looking after the children, Tricia Docherty, said: ''They are all very disappointed because coming here is an exciting day trip for them.''
Angela Lynes, secretary of the Glasgow branch of the public sector union Unison, said she was sorry that the public were affected.
But she added: ''Staff have had a 5% cut in earnings already this year and a further 7.5% cut has been threatened.''
The Mitchell Library strike will last all of this week and next Monday the industrial action moves to the South Side where community libraries will be hit.
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