LIBRARIES: REBEL CLLR RACHEL HEYWOOD SUMMONED TO SEE LABOUR WHIP TONIGHT (TUESDAY) / ONE HUNDRED ATTEND DEMO OUTSIDE UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY – JUST ONE LIBRARIAN AFTER JULY 1st / NEW LAMBETH STATEMENT
The Labour councillor who spoke out against Lambeth library closures has been summoned to a meeting with her party’s chief whip tonight (Tuesday).
A statement from ‘Defend the Ten’ said: “No rest for library campaigners! “After a fantastic turnout at Crystal Palace on Saturday, we need to show our support for Cllr Rachel Heywood, the only Lambeth Labour councillor to break ranks on the library plans.
“To support Rachel, come to the outside of Olive Morris House, 18 Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RD tonight at 6pm. “Bring banners and placards.
“Cllr Heywood will be meeting with the Labour chief whip privately at 6.30pm but will give statements to us after the meeting.”
ONE HUNDRED AT UPPER NORWOOD JOINT LIBRARY DEMO – JUST ONE LIBRARIAN AFTER JULY 1st
Around one hundred people attended a demonstration outside Upper Norwood joint library on Saturday.
There were passionate exchanges between Upper Norwood library trustee Bryher Scudamore and one of the Carnegie library occupiers, Michaela Loebner.
Bryher told her: “We are fighting for the same thing.”
Michaela: “One member of staff is an insult”
Bryher: “We’re not allowed to do anything with the library service.”
Bryher emphasised to News From Crystal Palace: “They are saying outside the library is going to be run by volunteers – which it is not.”
Current arrangements would continue until July 1st. After that there would be the equivalent of one full-time librarian for 35 hours a week provided by Lambeth library services.
There would be two professional staff to run the trust’s activities – one a hub director, the other a hub business development manager. Another person would cover areas such as health and safety, security etc.
Waggle and Hum sessions for children would continue. And there would be all sorts of cultural and educational activities run by the trust, she added.
UPPER NORWOOD JOINT LIBRARY: Latest statement from Lambeth council
Statement on Upper Norwood Joint Library posted by Lambeth council April 27th 2016:
Upper Norwood Library Trust and Lambeth Council are pleased to be able to provide an update on the negotiations around Upper Norwood Library.
From 1 July this year, Upper Norwood Joint Library (UNJL) building will be run by the Upper Norwood Library Trust – members of the local community who have a real passion and commitment to the library.
The Trust and Lambeth Council have been talking for years about how best to transfer the library to the community and, while it has at times been a frustrating process, the vision for the future now looks bright.
Lambeth Council and the Upper Norwood Library Trust are confident that the new arrangement will provide a great service hosted by, and run for, the local community in Upper Norwood – and at a more sustainable cost to the council, which is facing severe budget pressures.
The Trust will be working to develop a range of cultural and educational activities in the building, which aim to engage the whole community, an endeavour which is being joint funded by both Lambeth and Croydon councils to the tune of £85,000 each.
The library service will still be managed by Lambeth with Lambeth’s library staff providing 35 hours of library staff cover per week for two years, with a review after a year. This is what the Trust has requested to be able to complete their business model and will assist the Trust whilst they establish the new service.
It is proposed that the library will have a very similar book stock as now, operate in much of the same space and host regular community activities such as the popular Waggle and Hum – as it always has.
Money has also been set aside by Lambeth and Croydon to improve the condition of the building – we will provide more news on those improvements within the next month.
The library will continue to run as normal until the transfer on 1 July.
Laura Wright, Chair of Upper Norwood Library Trust said “We’re absolutely delighted to have secured a level of professional library staffing within the building over the next two years and thank Lambeth for their desire to support our vision of a thriving community hub with a brilliant library at its heart.
“We know that both authorities are battling with austerity measures and so we are delighted with this outcome. “We will continue to work on behalf of the local community to create a vibrant place for the community to enjoy, with not only a staffed library but new cultural and educational activities”. (Source: Lambeth council press release.)
