Hampshire’s most famous literary resident, Jane Austen, must be spinning in her grave at the council’s mooted plans to close up to 14 of the county’s 52 libraries, according to local authors protesting against the move.

Hampshire county council, which currently runs 48 libraries and supports a further four community-managed branches, said on Thursday that it is facing an anticipated budget shortfall of £80m by April 2021, and must cut £1.76m from its library budget. To this end, it is consulting on proposals that include closing up to 14 libraries, including the withdrawal of support from four community-managed sites, or reducing opening hours across the board.

Local authors including Neil Gaiman – who grew up in Hampshire and has a road named after him in Portsmouth – Philip Hoare, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Ali Sparkes and Claire Fuller wrote to the council on Friday to “reverse this shameful decision”.

The writers described the two options in the public consultation as disastrous for Hampshire’s communities: “An open library is proof that we value community and culture. A closed library is a sign of a society – and a county council – that is turning its back on both.”

“Now that one in eight schools does not have a library at all, public libraries are all the more vital. And libraries are about far more than books and literacy. They are havens, refuges and gateways, the vibrant hearts of the towns and villages they serve,” the letter reads.

The latest figures from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy show that almost 800 libraries have closed since 2010, with 3,583 library branches still open in the UK – 773 fewer than a decade ago.

Writer James McConnachie, who is coordinating the authors’ campaign, said the cuts would severely weaken the service.

“Hampshire is a county with a long literary heritage. Jane Austen was born here, lived in Chawton and Southampton, and died in Winchester. If you lifted her gravestone in the floor of Winchester cathedral, following this news, I suspect you’d find her spinning,” he said, adding: “If local culture is to flourish and local communities are to thrive then libraries are vital. If authors won’t stand up for them, who will?”

The 10 council-run libraries earmarked for closure are Blackfield and Lyndhurst in the New Forest, Chineham and South Ham in Basingstoke, Elson and Lee-on-the-Solent in Gosport, Emsworth in Havant, Fair Oak in Eastleigh, Horndean in East Hampshire and Odiham in Hart. The four community-managed libraries are in Kingsclere, Lowford, Milford-on-Sea and North Baddesley.

Hampshire county council’s consultation, which closes on 18 March, says that its future vision for libraries is focused on promoting reading, “supporting healthy, creative communities”, and investing in digital services.

It said the closure of the council-run branches was “not an option which is proposed lightly”, and that withdrawing support for the community-run branches would give the volunteers that work in them “greater autonomy to deliver them as they wish”.

Hampshire councillor Seán Woodward urged residents to respond to the consultation, about which no decisions will be made until responses are fully analysed. “We remain absolutely committed to providing a high-quality library service, fit for the future, that responds to a new generation of library customers,” he said.

But McConnachie criticised Woodward’s comments to local press – that some of Hampshire’s libraries were “in sad buildings, not being well used” – “as if this was justification for cuts, rather than something of which he and his administration should be ashamed,” said McConnachie, adding: “We will put pressure on the council until they think again.”