Save Lambeth Libraries and the Carnegie Library occupation

[Gramsci]

From what I have been told at meetings the gym library at Carnegie is being done under the existing leisure contract Lambeth has with GLL/Better.

I don't understand how they can expand and alter contract to do this. But they have. The gym library at Carnegie isn't under its own contract.

Officers are starting to have to cozy relationship with GLL. Officers should be stringently holding GLL to high standards of service.

My recent impression at meetings is that when GLL are questioned over service quality officers don't take critical stance towards GLL.

 

[snowy_again]

Community spaces sold off ‘on a massive scale’ for private use, finds report

Relevant report on the sell off of public assets. From hunting out the original link, it looks like it's from locality:

https://locality.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/The-Great-British-Sell-Off-FINAL.pdf

 

[editor]

Meeting on Saturday: Lambeth’s Libraries – What Future? Public meeting in Brixton, Sat 8th Sept, 2pm

 

[editor]

Here's the new opening hours. Note the pathetic amount of cover provided by library staff.

 

[BusLanes]

Anyone go to the meeting yesterday? Anything useful come out of it?

 

[editor]

latest update: Book-ish Gyms declared a success by Labour Cabinet member as Lambeth Green party calls for a re-think

 

[editor]

Council lobby this Wednesday

Activists to lobby full Lambeth Council meeting with the message, ‘Libraries need librarians!’ – Weds 10th Oct, 6.30pm

 

[Pickman's model]

libraries need librarians more than councils need councillors.

 

[editor]

Getting more and more farcical

Carnegie Trust given Lottery grant to help take control of Carnegie Library in Herne Hill

 

[snowy_again]

Someone should complain to HLF about that...

 

[Gramsci]

I'm assuming Heritage Lottery looked at application carefully.

This would have been why Carnegie Trust applied. From reasons for this fund in link below.

Prepare to take on new responsibility for heritage, such as through community asset transfer

Heritage Lottery Fund launches new £8million resilience programme | Heritage Lottery Fund

 

[editor]

Damning update:

“CULTURE 2020 A FINANCIAL DISASTER” – Defend the Ten

This column of figures provides a partial estimate of the EXTRA costs brought by Culture2020.

This confused “money-saving” strategy included down-grading, reducing and de-staffing four libraries – while PAYING to set up local trusts to run some buildings, and PAYING to construct other facilities in library spaces.

For instance: West Norwood Library will house a cinema. Nice. But Lambeth has PAID Picturehouse, a very profitable company,£3.4 million for the conversion (the sum agreed by Lambeth council’s cabinet was £1. 25 million – bad enough).

For instance: Carnegie library will house an unwanted Greenwich Leisure gym. Lambeth has (so far) PAID over £3 million to install it.

THE TOTAL LOSS IS ABOUT £7.5 MILLION.

THE WASTE GOES ON

The waste will continue far into the future.

Both Picturehouse and Greenwich Leisure will use these buildings RENT-FREE for five years. And West Norwood Library will now PAY service charges to Picturehouse (in a building owned by the council).

The trust at Upper Norwood Library “Hub” has been generously funded – by more than it cost to run the library – in order to become self-funding in 2018. It has failed. Lambeth will continue to PAY it for at least three more years.

THE REAL COST

This, of course, is paid by Lambeth residents. They have lost four full-service libraries, with all they offered to the many people who need help, advice, IT support and staff-run activities. To see the difference, please read our report

Their library service has been starved – while millions have been wasted.

And they know the library service offered a plan – supported by community and staff – that would have kept all 10 libraries and SAVED £800,000 a year.

“CULTURE 2020 A FINANCIAL DISASTER” – Defend the Ten

 

[teuchter]

Here is the latest on the library. I remain confused about what each organisation is and what its responsibilities are. Friends of Carnegie are the non lambeth ones, right? They announce an increase in opening hours but there's no detail on how this has come about. Have extra funds become available somehow?

 

[Tricky Skills]

Buzzed: Carnegie Library Hub in Herne Hill faces closure amid dispute with Lambeth Council

 

[Tropi]

FUCK. Again?!

I would like to sign the petition but the link is not working.

 

[Tricky Skills]

Buzzed: Carnegie Library Hub meeting with Lambeth Officers leads to deadlock with December 2024 Hub closure still likely

"This meeting was seen as the final opportunity to gain clarity on why the Council withdrew its previous support"