Lambeth library campaigners stand firm…

April 1, 2016 Elizabeth Ash

Lambeth residents refused to leave Carnegie library, Herne Hill, Lambeth at 6pm 31st March when the library was due to close to be turned into a gym, with a much reduced “neighbourhood library” with no staff.

This is not a library.

The root cause is the council’s refusal properly to look at proposals from head of libraries, Susanna Barnes, to keep all the council’s 10 libraries running, while making all the savings required.

So – direct action is being taken, all in support of the role of librarian!

200 people stayed to read, socialise and sing. A group of about 60 stayed all night.

The campaign has sent Lambeth Council the following demands:

We, the people of Lambeth occupying the Carnegie Library, call on Lambeth Council:

1. To listen to the people they represent

2. To keep all Lambeth libraries fully open with professional library staff; the scrap their plans for closures and healthy living centres, and reverse their decision

3. To re-open the Carnegie and Minet Libraries with immediate effect, with all library staff, to continue to provide a full library service

4. To adopt the community/staff mutual plan which will keep all ten libraries fully operational as part of a full library service for the borough. This offers a creative, innovative solution in the face of cuts

5. To collaborate with all the Friends groups as set out in Lambeth policy

6. Not to transfer the Carnegie Library building, which was given for a library for the benefit of the community, to the ‘Carnegie Community Trust’ which does not represent the community.

2 April 2016

The usual chess club will go ahead, but this time, through the bars, at 2pm today.

At 3pm there will be a general gathering with performances outside the library.

The Dulwich Hamlet football team and fans will march by at 5pm.

And candles will be lit at 7pm.

Carnegie Library
188 Herne Hill Rd, London SE24 0AG
Bus P4 from Brixton stops outside, 68 and 468 from Herne Hill or West Norwood

The Library Campaign
The national charity supporting friends and users of libraries

Lambeth library campaigners stand firm…

This is not a library.

The campaign has sent Lambeth Council the following demands:

One Reply to “Lambeth library campaigners stand firm…”

This is not a library.

The campaign has sent Lambeth Council the following demands:

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One Reply to “Lambeth library campaigners stand firm…”