Ex Libraries

Look at these two charts, and tell me when you think our library was destroyed.

Number of books issued in Blackheath Village libraries from April to October 2011

Visits to Blackheath Libraries between April - October 2011

The Age Exchange Library is a joke.

In May 6,758 items were borrowed from the library in Blackheath Village. Then the library was closed, and replaced with a community library in Age Exchange. In October, after the Age Exchange library had been open for 3 months, only 832 items were borrowed.

“I didn’t come into civic life to close libraries”, I believe is the familiar refrain. So don’t. Re-open the real library. I don’t care how you do it, find a way. Otherwise you’ve just guaranteed the quickest, most efficient way to dumb down an entire generation. Shame on you vandals.

The data comes from questions by councillor David Britton (a Tory with a slightly scary looking union jack on the blog head), made available by Lewisham councillor Christine Best, the cabinet member with responsibility for libraries, at a council meeting on 29th November:

Here are the two google docs: Question Answer

Including an apology for the crappy numbers:

There have been some initial difficulties with data collection from the Community Libraries, and the Service overall has had a difficult year, completing a major staff reorganization and the introduction of new technologies. The implementation of such major change has had a negative impact on performance, but the Service is confident that both issues and visits will now begin to increase.

Yes, a bit. Maybe. Or perhaps it will just be wound down and closed.

See also: The Bookseller: Catastrophic plunge in lending at Lewisham’s community libraries

Meet your new library: 5 book shelves

The Blackheath Village Residents Group has put out an email newsletter, containing more details of the planned library inside Age Exchange. It’s a series of pdf files explaining, among other things, who you should thank for these plans.

The links to the PDF files:

• Background information
• View of the entrance
• Model of the ground floor
• Model of the lower ground floor
• Plan view
• How the space will be used

As you can see below, from the wooden models and sketches, someone has spent a fair amount of time and money preparing all of this. It’s a very professional job, prepared by people who obviously have expertise in submitting planning proposals to local councils. Can’t wait to see what becomes of the old library building next year…

I feel it’s my duty to mention that the BVRG would really like you to attend the next Blackheath Assembly. So would I. It will be held at 7:30pm on Thursday, 31st March, at St Matthew Academy, St Joseph’s Vale, Blackheath, London, SE3 0XX. Here’s a Google Map.

They’d also rather like you to not discuss anything at all about the music festival on this blog, ok?

There is currently a lot of discussion about the NIMBY event application on the Heath, not least by mostly anonymous contributors to the Blackheath Bugle blog. The BVRG view is that these matters are best discussed openly in public forum. An opportunity to do so is at the next Blackheath Assembly meeting.

No more idle chatter over here, hmm? That sort of thing causes trouble, and trouble we do not like, ok? Good. Glad that’s sorted. As you were.

In seriousness, I totally agree that the best way to get local issues resolved is probably face to face in a public forum. That doesn’t mean that an anonymous forum (like this) has no value. It’s just a different kind of forum. Which is why the Age Exchange Library arrangement sits uncomfortably. I don’t want a library in a windowless basement. I want the library that our council is obliged to maintain, without any back room deals made in smoke filled rooms with property developers.

NB: I realise that there is a mobile bookshelf, and a couple of other shelves in different rooms, but 5 bookshelves had a nice ring to it. It’s still tiny when compared to the existing library.

Library going, but what about the square?

There’s a carnival against the cuts at 12noon on Saturday, at the library (which the council have confirmed will be shut down permanently on 28th May). Thanks for listening Steve, really! Anyway, please show your support. http://www.carnivalagainstcuts.org.uk/

In the meantime:

• What are the odds that now the library is out of the way, the property developers re-apply to build the Library Square, but this time sans the pesky Library?
• Who is offering the £500k investment into Age Exchange, in return for moving the library?
• What are the connections between the Blackheath Society, and the Library Square property developers?

Questions, questions….

From the Carnival against Cuts site:

All over the borough of Lewisham services are threatened and people being thrown out of their jobs because the Labour Mayor is accepting the Tory/Lib Dem cuts and has chosen to put sacrifice our vital services.

Here is the list of places where you can show your strength of feeling. There will be petitions, leaflets, balloons, songsheets.

Make a placard to show your disgust at Steve Bullock’s priorities. Dress up in a costume. Bring your old saucepans, kettles, whistles, drums to make a noise at 12 noon!

UPDATE: Lewisham Councils document outlining the closures, as well as various fee hikes. (PDF). (Thanks Jenny)

The Reluctant Library

Lucy Mangan of the Grauniad TV reviews will be reading from her book The Reluctant Bride in a shameless bid to save Blackheath Library at 2pm on Saturday. What’s that you say? Maybe it is her favourite book! Why shouldn’t her favourite book be one that she wrote herself, for goodness sake? The trouble with you people is that you are far too cynical.

On another note, Sir Ian Mills of Age Exchange wrote me a very valid email, pointing out that whilst my post “Pay a tenner to find out what will happen to your library” was factually correct, it was also extremely bad tempered. He has a point. I had a hangover. On a school night. Sorry. If you want to look at Age Exchange’s plans for the library, they are on display inside their shop. You should go regardless, it’s a great place.

Nonetheless, some of the comments below the post raise some interesting questions:

• This seems to me to be the most significant issue: If Age Exchange hadn’t stepped in to offer the council this alternative, wouldn’t there have been more pressure on Lewisham council not to close the library? Isn’t this just giving them an easy get-out?
• Is this a way for Age Exchange to expand its profile, maintain its funding, and by merging itself with the library, ensure that it cannot be easily removed from the high street? The first role of any organisation is to maintain its own existence, even if it is a charity.
• Why should local library-goers be encouraged to donate £30 per year to maintain a library service that up until this year was provided by the local council?
• Darryl claims that Greenwich Council has decided to cease funding for Age Exchange. Does Greenwich Council contribute funds to Age Exchange? (I couldn’t see any mention of them on their funding page).
• The current library is funded by Lewisham council, but Age Exchange is in the Greenwich Council part of Blackheath. How will this issue be resolved?

I’ve written before about how much I like the Age Exchange Centre.  It’s great.  But by offering Mayor Bullock a Big-Society-friendly way to downgrade the status of the current library, it may have done more harm than good.  Maybe lobbying the current owners of the existing library building to reduce or forgo the rent could have been a better strategy, which is now unavailable to the BVLUG, as the anti-closure lobby is effectively split between two positions.

Blackheath Library – Age Exchange Proposal

From the library meeting last week, it seems likely that the library will move into Age Exchange. It will cost £500,000 and take 18 months. Looks like a done deal:

Blackheath library proposed closure – Age Exchange proposal PDF file – (will try and convert to text when I can).

There’s more inside the resource centre at Age Exchange.

UPDATE: Full text below:

Party by the Pagoda?

There is finally a chance to see the amazing Pagoda at close range, instead of squinting through the bushes like a ne’er do well, as I did in this post.

The Pagoda is a private house, but the gardens will be opened specially for the party, which is in aid of the wonderful Age Exchange charity. It is on Sunday 22nd of June from 3pm-5pm and costs £7.50, including strawberries, cream and sparkling wine.

Tickets can be picked up from the Reminiscence Centre (opposite the station, next to Shepherd Foods), or by calling 020 8318 9105.

Films at the Reminiscence Centre

I’d been meaning to write about the Reminiscence Centre for a while now. This is a little gem opposite the station.

It is part of a charity that was set up to help elderly people deal with dementia and memory loss, and improving the quality of life for older people who may be at risk of social exclusion. I’m guessing that social exclusion is modern-speak for loneliness. Anyway, it’s a great idea, and is really nicely presented, as a shop from the 1930s with thousands of little pieces of memorabilia hidden away in sets of drawers, as well as a tea room and garden at the back.

I’m sure that if they set up a table or two at the front of the shop, their custom would increase dramatically, but driving in customers is not their main focus.

Behind the garden, there is a large building called The Old Bakehouse, which is used as a kind of community centre, theatre, and cinema. They are running a series of talks on Friday afternoons at 2pm about classic films, actors, and genres. It costs £3, including tea and cake.

• Friday 23rd May – British Documentaries
• Friday 20th June – The Films of Peter Sellers

I think it’s a great idea, and very in keeping with the traditions that were set up around the Art Club, and Literary Society that have since disappeared from Blackheath.