From Preston Community Library Campaign
Preston Community Library has been “highly commended” in
this year’s Bookseller's Library of the Year award.
The judges said that “For
the first time, The Bookseller’s Library of the Year shortlist also
includes a commendation for a volunteer-run library, Preston Community Library
in Brent. Although the award supports professionally-run libraries with paid
and qualified staff, this year we felt there should also be some recognition of
the commitment and hard work shown by volunteers who keep a form of library
provision in their community against the odds.”
Congratulations to all of our volunteers who work
tirelessly to keep the library open. Above all, this award recognises the vital
importance of local libraries to their communities, which is why thousands of
people fought to keep Preston Library open, and continued to fight for several
years to re-open it.
All of us at Preston Community Library agree that public
libraries should be publicly funded, and run by paid professional staff. But,
as custodians - for the time being - of Preston Library we are extremely proud
of what we’ve achieved, and honoured to have been recognised in this year’s
Library of the Year awards.
On its website LINK the Bookseller commented further:
In fact, Brent Library Service—hearing that the library has been attracting large audiences for its events—has asked Preston Community Library to bring two of its author events to its own libraries: one was held around Susie Boyt’s My Judy Garland Life (Virago), and the other, a Second World War memorial event with Elisa Segrave, was about her book The Girl from Station X (Ebury).
Open four days a week, the library is run by some 80 volunteers, the eldest being 97. The children’s library is “a well-stocked and animated environment”, and membership is around 1,400.
“This shortlisting couldn’t come at a more pressing time,” says literary event lead Geraldine Cook, who adds that the accolade is a “much-needed boost” for the management team (made up of the former library campaigners) who are determined to carry on running the library with all its activities, even when they may have to move the library temporarily, while the council develops the current site for flats.
1 comment:
Just received notice from SKPPRA that Doreen Gill who instigated Court proceedings against Brent Council now faces the financial consequences of her actions to save the library.
The original planning consent was overturned but following this judgement Brent's planning committee approved the development again in January 2020.
Doreen Gill faces having to pay £20,000 to pay for her legal costs to the High Court hearing. The Chair of SKPPRA has sent round a note to supporters of the library to make a donation before 21st September 2020. Go to chair@Sskppra.co.uk for details to make a donation and help Doreen who put up such a fight on residents' behalf to stop the development.
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