Today Amit and I toured five out of the six libraries that have closed down in the London borough of Brent. After months of campaigning, Brent council has won an unjustified battle.
These libraries have been serving children, teens and adults alike for years beyond my childhood. Barham Park library was once a weekly home for me where I used to sit and engross myself in a Roald Dahl classic or two. Now the 19th century building sits desolate in need for someone to come and visit.
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| Barham Park library now sits abandoned |
Preston Road library is now boarded up with messages plastered all over its surface. This board is now branded; “Brent Council’s wall of shame”. I spoke to one lady there who stated: ‘The council have put a wall against education” and rightly so. Messages continued saying; “Now my kids get to spend more on their play station” along with a five year’s old drawing stating; “What have you done?” It is an emotive outcry that reflects just how much a local library can mean to an individual.
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| Protests outside of Preston Road library |
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| Councillor Ann John with possibly the worst excuse to close down the libraries |
Tokynton Library on its darkest day...
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| A window into the past of Tokyngton Library |
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How can people from Wembley travel to Willesden to their "local" library?
Cricklewood Library looks bleak and alone. The building once full of books now resides empty with placards of messages sprawled across it.
Venturing to the depths of the borough, we visited Kensal Rise library which has caught the most media attention. On first glance, we saw boxes full of books stacked outside in what looked like a book sale. In fact, a small group of people have set up a mini-library station outside of the listed building and they volunteer their time so that people can borrow these books whenever they like. Meeting inspirational people like this reminds me that a small minority do care and that community spirit is still alive. There are still people who are not driven by money but motivated by memories, togetherness and retaining an important education tool for future generations to come. |
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| Kensal Rise Library - A cry to the Council |
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| Local volunteers doing their community proud |
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| Books to borrow |
I hope that one day that these councillors will wake up and see what a heinous crime that they have committed but for now we can reminisce of what was once a place of learning and teach our children the value of education and the importance of a book.
For more information on volunteering at the library or how you can help, please visit the following website:
