Save Kensal Rise Library

Photo from  Park Life blog

Brent Libraries under threat

Over 200 local residents packed into the Scout Hut on Leighton Gardens recently to hear the latest from the “Save Kensal Rise Library” committee, and to give their views. The press coverage so far has been fantastic- read Philip Pullman in the Guardian and Tim Lott in the Independent on Sunday

It must be one of the highest profile campaigns for a threatened library anywhere in the UK. What Brent are insisting on, and in an absurdly short time scale is a “business plan” which will cost the Council nothing. This means investigating every possible avenue- grants, philanthropists, business support, sponsorship and so on, but this all takes time.

Read more here

If Kensal Rise is your local library, get involved, join the campaign, join the library, use the library.

If it’s not your local library because you live nearer to Kilburn Library, USE IT OR LOSE IT! Just because Kilburn isn’t currently under threat doesn’t mean it’s safe. Great stuff going on there right now- a display of books by Scandinavian authors (and not just crime fiction).  Before that were books from Sebastian Faulks’ new book “Faulks on Fiction”.  I’d entirely forgotten how much I wanted to read Thomas Mann’s “The Magic Mountain” until I saw it temptingly displayed and recommended by SF.

Ann John, the leader of the Council, told us at a meeting that we can all get our books from Amazon now- well, apart from the obvious objections on grounds of cost, belief in not buying what you can borrow, lack of internet access etc- that only works if you already pretty much know which book you want. “The Magic Mountain”? Don’t be daft- I’d completely forgotten about it. And if I don’t like it after all, never mind- I’ll return it.

It’s not just Kensal Rise library under threat in Brent - also Cricklewood, Neasden, Preston, Barham Park and Tokyngton

There is a consultation on line until 4th March so let Brent know your views