NEWINGTON REFERENCE LIBRARY DEPUTATION

Last night at Walworth Community Council meeting, community members felt our deputation made people in power be called to account.But what is really important is that library users and the local people are now properly consulted on the plans and can make an informed decision on whether this closure, dismantling and relocation of our precious community resource and the restructuring of reference library staff is acceptable and can be allowed to go ahead. The Community, not an isolated Executive member, must make the decision.

The audience were supportive of our deputation.There was a desire for debate which eventually had to be curtailed due to lack of time.Officers were quizzed in public about the lack of consultation.
Executive Member Cllr Zuleta agreed with the points in our deputation. It was agreed that the item will be on the agenda at the next Walworth Community Council on Nov 13th before the final decision is made.

Cllr Zuleta agreed to public consultation on the plans and an Equality Impact Assessment. The redrafted report and reconfigurement plans are to be made easily available to the public at the library, doctors surgeries etc. Tours are to be offered of the extra public space to be made available in the Lending Library on the ground floor.

Officers continue to say this change is needed due to a legal requirement to make the Reference Library on the first floor DDA compliant. This is not we believe the case, as a facility is exempt if it would mean closing it.

We wanted reassurance that the replacement area for quiet study would be the same size or better than is presently available.

We were concerned that officers are so dismissive of the majority of book stock in the Reference Library which we feel must remain easily accessible for public browsing. This is part of what visiting a good library is about. Books are the backbone of the Reference Library.

Library users and the wider community need to look carefully at the plans and report and additional public space to be made available, this is our facility, look after it or lose it.
Cllr Zuleta asked us to suspend our scepticism , go on the tour of the extra public space, speak to the officers, read their redrafted report and look at the plans. It’s about time. We should not have had to force the officers to do this in the first place.

The whole process has been dealt with extremely badly by the Council to date. Why the secrecy?

Our petition has over 500 signatures and we will continue the Campaign to save Newington Reference Library until we are sure that our Reference service is being improved by the proposed move.
After last night’s presentation the jury is still out.
We suggest all concerned get the item on the agenda of their Community Councils and Area Forums and request a presentation on the Libraries Modernisation programme, contact the officers in charge, get a copy of their report and plans, make sure that both our Lending Library and our Reference Library are not decimated by this cost cutting exercise.

Continue to visit Baldwins on Walworth Road and sign the petition to safeguard the high quality reference library provision we have and we deserve in this area.

Until we are convinced we still need help to call a halt to their plans to start work within a month on closing and dismantling Newington Reference Library and its team of experienced staff. Is the preservation of a well-used place to sit and read or study in peace and safety so much to ask of Southwark Council?