Save Lambeth Libraries and the Carnegie Library occupation

[ViolentPanda]

Just received this piece of shit in my e-mail. How fucking desperate are they getting?

*********************************​

Dear Mr Panda --
Today I’ve written an open letter on Lambeth libraries to lay out the facts about what is happening. I understand that there is a lot of strong feeling about this issue but this has often not been helpful in presenting the facts.

We are keeping ten libraries in Lambeth; exactly the same number that we have now. The two libraries that closed temporarily last week at Carnegie and Minet will reopen in early 2017. They will both continue to have books, study space and computers, will stay free to use and will be open for almost double the current opening hours. I know there have been some concerns due to claims by campaigners so I wanted to reassure you that they will still be open to children and staff will be provided on a part-time rotating basis.

While I understand that some of those involved in the Carnegie library occupation may not support this, we have worked hard to protect services from Tory cuts and keep these buildings open for the public. In Carnegie, we are using the unoccupied basement for the gym, so the existing space remains for community use, including the library service.

I believe this is a strong offer for our libraries, in difficult financial circumstances. We are protecting six of our most-used town centre libraries exactly as they are. In the last few years, we’ve built a new library in Clapham and refurbished Streatham and Brixton. And in the next few years, we’ll deliver a new library in West Norwood and a new library for North Lambeth.

This is part of our continued commitment to delivering the services our residents rely on, despite Tory cuts. Yesterday, research from the party showed that Lambeth will have lost £465 per household by 2020. Astonishingly, David Cameron’s West Oxfordshire has lost just £17 per household. We should be united as a party in condemning this unfair attack on local government and focusing on opposing the Tories who are responsible for it.

Best wishes,

Lib Peck

Leader of Lambeth Labour Group

P.s The best way to oppose the Tories to help Sadiq Khan win in London next month. There are campaign sessions taking place every day now: find your local one here!

*********************************​

Peck should be ashamed of herself.

 

[brixtonblade]

She can just fuck off. I'm getting really pissed off with their shit.

 

[ViolentPanda]

She can just fuck off. I'm getting really pissed off with their shit.

Quite.
If they weren't spending millions per year on consultants, setting aside £25 million to tear down estates, and (contrary to their claims otherwise) borrowing money to build their Nu Town Hall, the library service would be safe. In fact it'd cost so little to maintain the service in comparison to what'll supposedly get saved with this farcical partnership with GLL, that it's hardly surprising that a majority of Lambeth residents who give a shit, are convinced that officers and councillors are getting some baksheesh on this.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

got channel 4 news on the '+1' channel (just after 2000, Friday) - report coming later in the prog - says something about 'facing eviction within the next 24 hours'

 

[ViolentPanda]

got channel 4 news on the '+1' channel (just after 2000, Friday) - report coming later in the prog - says something about 'facing eviction within the next 24 hours'

Yeah, iirc eviction is scheduled for tomorrow.

 

[gaijingirl]

We called in again today (just as the BBC were doing their report run-through) and they were served their eviction notice today and given 24 hours to leave. I asked if they were planning on just leaving peacefully and they said "well come here tomorrow at 11:30am for the march" and gave me some leaflets to hand out. very sadly we can't be there but I hope that as many people as possible will go.

 

[Lizzy Mac]

Just received this piece of shit in my e-mail. How fucking desperate are they getting?

*********************************​

Dear Mr Panda --
Today I’ve written an open letter on Lambeth libraries to lay out the facts about what is happening. I understand that there is a lot of strong feeling about this issue but this has often not been helpful in presenting the facts.

We are keeping ten libraries in Lambeth; exactly the same number that we have now. The two libraries that closed temporarily last week at Carnegie and Minet will reopen in early 2017. They will both continue to have books, study space and computers, will stay free to use and will be open for almost double the current opening hours. I know there have been some concerns due to claims by campaigners so I wanted to reassure you that they will still be open to children and staff will be provided on a part-time rotating basis.

While I understand that some of those involved in the Carnegie library occupation may not support this, we have worked hard to protect services from Tory cuts and keep these buildings open for the public. In Carnegie, we are using the unoccupied basement for the gym, so the existing space remains for community use, including the library service.

I believe this is a strong offer for our libraries, in difficult financial circumstances. We are protecting six of our most-used town centre libraries exactly as they are. In the last few years, we’ve built a new library in Clapham and refurbished Streatham and Brixton. And in the next few years, we’ll deliver a new library in West Norwood and a new library for North Lambeth.

This is part of our continued commitment to delivering the services our residents rely on, despite Tory cuts. Yesterday, research from the party showed that Lambeth will have lost £465 per household by 2020. Astonishingly, David Cameron’s West Oxfordshire has lost just £17 per household. We should be united as a party in condemning this unfair attack on local government and focusing on opposing the Tories who are responsible for it.

Best wishes,

Lib Peck

Leader of Lambeth Labour Group

P.s The best way to oppose the Tories to help Sadiq Khan win in London next month. There are campaign sessions taking place every day now: find your local one here!

*********************************​

Peck should be ashamed of herself.

The library is very close to my flat and we had a printed leaflet through the door during the week that was pretty similar. More wasted money.

 

[SpamMisery]

How much library space is being lost if the gym element is going in the disused basement?

 

[editor]

Library campaigners leaflet Brixton tube ahead of Saturday’s big march from Carnegie Library

 

[leanderman]

How much library space is being lost if the gym element is going in the disused basement?

None. The main argument is the loss of librarians.

 

[Orang Utan]

None. The main argument is the loss of librarians.

is it keeping its entire collection?

 

[footballerslegs]

is it keeping its entire collection?

I don't think that's clear from plans so far. Lambeth say they will release floor plans next week (so furiously working on them now I expect).

I think another issue (as well as it being a library with no librarians) is the lack of clarity around the GLL element, not to mention whether there's planning permission to convert the basement. The greater cynics are worried that the scheme is badly thought through/set up to fail, therefore potentially justifying redevelopment as flats in a few years time. The Defend the Ten website (set up by the occupiers) is pretty clear on all the angles of concern.

We'll be on the march today.

 

[SpamMisery]

is it keeping its entire collection?

Lambeth's website says it will.

"Carnegie Library will re-open in early 2017 as a Healthy Living Centre with a refurbished neighbourhood library, new computers, the same book stock and study space. It will also be open for longer hours".

 

[boohoo]

Lambeth's website says it will.

"Carnegie Library will re-open in early 2017 as a Healthy Living Centre with a refurbished neighbourhood library, new computers, the same book stock and study space. It will also be open for longer hours".

I don't know how a space of the same library size would function without librarians. Like an office with lots of senior staff and no admin, IT or facilities staff. The libraries are really busy and there are some odd characters around - one of the librarian was getting a stream of abuse from some guy. How will that be GLL responsibility to deal with that. How will they offer the scope of service that libraries currently offer?

GLL staff get crap wages. When my daughter bumped her head at soft play in Streatham leisure centre, the staff in charge didn't know what to do and for a space with an ice skating rink, they didn't have a cold compress. Their recommendation was get some toilet paper, wet it and hold it to her head.

Since I was a kid about four libraries have closed - Streatham Park, Clapham Park, Jeffries Road, St Martins. Current plans will hugely reduce services across the borough.

 

[sleaterkinney]

Anyone going on the march today?

 

[brixtonblade]

Yeah, heading up soon

 

[MissL]

Won't be able to march but heading up to Carnegie Library now so show some support before they head off. It's so easy to let these things pass without doing anything. I think the occupation is fucking awesome and I'm 100% behind it.

 

[ohmyliver]

We're hoping to head up soon. Although subject to the vaguries of a 3 year old who isn't dressed yet.

Does anyone know the path of the march?

 

[brixtonblade]

We're hoping to head up soon. Although subject to the vaguries of a 3 year old who isn't dressed yet.

Does anyone know the path of the march?

I bribed my 2 year old with oranges

 

[sleaterkinney]

Speeches then minet then windrush.

 

[editor]

Great turn out!

 

[sleaterkinney]

This is the politest protest I've been on, we're even stopping for traffic.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I don't know how a space of the same library size would function without librarians. Like an office with lots of senior staff and no admin, IT or facilities staff. The libraries are really busy and there are some odd characters around - one of the librarian was getting a stream of abuse from some guy. How will that be GLL responsibility to deal with that. How will they offer the scope of service that libraries currently offer?

GLL staff get crap wages. When my daughter bumped her head at soft play in Streatham leisure centre, the staff in charge didn't know what to do and for a space with an ice skating rink, they didn't have a cold compress. Their recommendation was get some toilet paper, wet it and hold it to her head.

Since I was a kid about four libraries have closed - Streatham Park, Clapham Park, Jeffries Road, St Martins. Current plans will hugely reduce services across the borough.

And the justification for it all is lack of money. That justification might make sense if the libraries service cost a lot to maintain, and if the council weren't spunking £25 million from their reserves to ensure their "regeneration" programme goes ahead; if they weren't borrowing to pay for the Nu Town Hall; if they weren't pissing millions of pounds up the wall every year on consultants. As it is, the justification makes no sense.

What really peeves me is the reasons given for inaction/lack of resistance to central government diktat on the part of councillors and officers: They won't set an illegal budget - i.e. they won't borrow or otherwise raise money - because it would mean spending their reserves on services, and it might mean central government sending in an oversight team to manage the borough. In other words, this is partly about public sector and political careers.

 

[MissL]

Got a few goosebumps when they walked out of the library to all those cheers

 

[editor]

Photos:

Photos: Carnegie Library campaigners march to Brixton Windrush Square

 

[ohmyliver]

So what happens next.

 

[Rfurr]

Looking at the Carnegie, where there is considerable space, will some councillor, officer, librarian, or other informed person, please tell me why we are PAYING GLL to put a gym in it, when that space could be used as a source of revenue to fund the library by being rented out as office space to charities or voluntary organisations, a GP's surgery or similar. Were there a demand for a gym, gyms make money, and a private provider would have opened one already.

 

[50yrsInBrixton]

I want libraries, I want a learning space; not for profit. So I support this.

 

[Rfurr]

Just picked up on an interesting blog from 2011 - 12, when GLL were taking over leisure services in Greenwich. Readers may find its content informative -
Greenwich Libraries takeover – GLL boss speaks out

 

[Rfurr]

The impetus created by the occupation of the Carnegie must not be allowed to die. Councillors and officers rely on the fact that only the little people - those living in social housing, the poor, the old, the disabled, the unemployed - really give a damn about what they do, and that such people (unless backed by the Unions) can quite simply be ignored, as they have neither the stomach nor the endurance for the fight, nor the skill, nor financial resources to sustain it. So, the logic is, ignore the silly bastards, and given time they will stop whining! You can manipulate them with impunity and tell them anything that comes into your head. Should they take you to court, the council has deep pockets and can fight them to a standstill, and, in the end, it will be they who are obliged to pay for everything!
As to manipulation - Why were protestors permitted to occupy the Carnegie?
Councillors and officers cannot have been unaware that this would occur, yet no additional security was put in place.
The answer must surely be that they wanted this to happen to wrong foot protesters, so that they could be portrayed as rabid red Corbynites.
Happily this weapon misfired - spectacularly, as not only did the protestors attract the support of decent middle class opinion, but in the end one
honest councillor came out openly against the proposed reduction of library facilities.
The battle must continue to be fought every step of the way by residents and Union members.
Forget those useless Labour councillors, who have shunned discussion with their constituents and locked themselves in their offices, firing off irrelevant and uninformed letters containing insulting pictures of yawning cats and similar rubbish!