I was taking a photograph of the sad sight of the closed down Neasden Library this evening, usually a hive of activity on a Friday evening with a homework club in session, students busy on computers and others borrowing books.
As I was taking the photographs a woman and her 15 year old daughter approached me. They were coming to use the library and looked bewildered at finding it closed: "What has happened? Why is it closed?"
I explained Brent Council's decision to close half the borough's libraries. "But libraries are important. We need our libraries!"
I told them about the campaigns and the High Court decision.
"Are they mad? My daughter needs the library. I am on Income Support and we cannot afford the internet. Her homework says 'Use the internet to find out...'. We always come to this library. She needs it for books and her homework."
They examined the Council's notice.
"I can't send my daughter down to Willesden Green in the evening on her own. If I go with her I won't be able to pay the bus fare every night. I am on Income Support. She will get behind the other children who have internet at home."
I explained that previously the Council had understood these issues and that was why they had only recently invested money in refurbishing Neasden library and providing IT equipment and a homework club.
I told her that I had been one of the people campaigning and wrote this blog.
"You write down what I said. You tell them about me and my daughter."
So that is what I have done. I hope Brent Labour Party members think about about what she said at their Conference at Capital City Academy on Sunday afternoon. How many more people who don;'t read the local papers, or blogs such as this, will be standing bewildered in front of closed down libraries over the next few weeks?
I cant believe they actually closed down neasden library. Shame on you brent council!!.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolute disregard for the people and families who reside in neasden and brent and who use the wonderful service the library(ies) provided us with.
I hope they know that that decision has just made life much more difficult for a lot of people. And what, with the current economic market and the recession threatning to be a double dip,comes the added gloom of the closure of a place that brought joy, pleasure, education and community engagement to all residents.
Of particular note here is the fact that the decision making process of the management body must be in absolute tatters and largely disjointed. Which would explain why a decision was made to invest substantial amounts of funds into refurbishing the library and the services it provides and then subsequently closing it down.
I mean, just how miscalculated and misdirected was that decision in the first place?
I am hugely dissappointed in the council's decision.