The Friends of Cricklewood Library was formed by a group of concerned residents after the threatened closure (for the second time) of Cricklewood Library in early 1999.

The Friends exist to promote and heighten public awareness of Cricklewood Library. FoCL is run by a volunteer committee (including an ex-officio member of the Brent Library Services Staff) who meet monthly.

Over the past years the Friends have organised a number of activities to attract local residents into the Library and, according to Library staff, the number of books issued has increased steadily.

Activities of the Friends of Cricklewood Library include:

• A series of occasional lectures on matters of local civic and cultural interest (eg local history, literacy development in young children, police relations, poetry readings, etc);
  
• Soliciting donations from local businesses (eg subscription to The Economist)
• Conducting a survey of library users to ascertain interests and suggestions for improvements;
• Periodic book sales to promote interest the Library and to raise money for FoCL activities;
  
• Assisting library staff with publicity for and hospitality at the annual Cricklewood Library Open Day
  
• Small-scale maintenance activities in an effort to improve the library environment;
  
• Participation in the National Library Users Survey (2000); - Offering support and guidance to other libraries threatened with closure;
  
• Submissions to the Brent Unitary Development Plan to heighten awareness of the important role played by branch libraries in Brent for use by future town planners and policymakers;
  
• Maintaining direct communications with the overall top management of Brent Library Services;
  
• Liaison with other local voluntary bodies (eg local history society, local preservation society, etc.)
  
  For further information, contact Eric Pollock,
  Chairman, tel: 020 8452 4072 or fax: 020 8830 6482.