Moving times for local library

[Gemini]

Daisy it's because the council have pledged to keep our library open, and the bus was seen as the best way until we get a building. The bus only visits our village the rest of the time it is in a garage.

[Daisy]

That's good - at least it means a new home for the library will happen sooner or later.

[Gemini]

An update

The much anticipated news about the future of the library was announced at yesterdays Friends group meeting. We were looking forward to this as a representative from the main library was coming to talk to us.

She told us the proposed plans, and our treasurer, who also works for the council brought in the paper plans for us to see (with his council 'hat' on)
It is, as we have suspected and hoped for a while, to be the local iron and brick built scout building.
The proposed plans look wonderful. The existing building will be extended with a reading cafe at the back, facing into the park. We have to share some of the space with the scouts, as a dual purpose space, but hopefully that will work out.
The position, centrally in the village and right next the park and playing field is fantastic.
We are happy and excited

There is to be a public consultation during the next few weeks, then plans finalised . The proposed opening date is spring 2020.

Lots of work for our committee until then!

[Plantaholic]

Well done to the Committee, sounds very exciting for you all.

[Daisy]

Gem, this is lovely news, especially for you and others on the committee who have worked so hard for it. It sounds like an ideal location right in the centre of the village. The reading cafe will be well-used, I'm sure. Every time I go into the cafe at Waterstones in town it is very busy, and in a village I'm sure it will be a social attraction as well as a literary one.

[Gemini]

Thanks ladies, we can't wait to see it open

[Qwerty]

That is great news Gem, makes a change to see something going on working, instead of shutting down , if only our high streets could do the same

[Daisy]

Qwerty - I agree about our High Streets. We won't realise what we've lost until all the big shops have all gone online and the little shops don't survive because there's no footfall.

[Gemini]

I thought I had updated this more recently!

To sum up, briefly.

The library bus continued to serve our community for five days a week in 4 locations, until lockdown closed libraries in March.
I became, and remain secretary of the Friends group.
We have almost found a new permanent home for the library, twice. Both of these have fallen through. Each time we were back to square one. Then lockdown came.

Libraries have now reopened. We cannot use the bus any more for our branch due to the lack of social distancing, it just cannot be done on the bus.
I now volunteer at the library one afternoon a week. I always planned to volunteer when my life became less busy. Now GS2 is at school and my mum is cared for, I do have time.
We have space in a local community centre. We have two rooms but they are separated by a larger room which we do not have access to, meaning that we have to go right around the building from one to the other, as do customers , so this is not ideal. However we are happy to have been able to reopen with covid safe measures. Our customers are happy too.
The future is still unknown. We may stay where we now are, hopefully with a different layout. Other possibilities are also being looked into. We will have new home, but who knows when?

This has been a long road!

[Daisy]

Gem - as you say two separate rooms are better than nothing, but certainly not ideal in the winter especially, and it may put some elderly people off using it. But if it hadn't been for the persistence of people like you on the committee I'm sure it would still be closed because of Covid!

It sounds as though the current set-up relies quite heavily on all the volunteers, but well done to all of you for keeping on working for it.

There has been talk of some of our County's libraries closing - some in quite large towns. It's very worrying. Fortunately the one our GDs use and love doesn't seem to be at risk - they would miss it so much.

[Plantaholic]

Well done to you and your fellow volunteers for keeping the library open.

[WeeGranny]

Our Library is run by volunteers from a mobile classroom in the school grounds. The Council was going to close it years ago but a group was set up and it is run under the auspices of the County Library Service. This means we can order books without a reservation fee and, although we have to pay overdue fees, they go to our library rather than the county. It is beginning to look a bit tired and jaded now and could really do with a make-over, but it is well used ( at least it was before lockdown) and would be missed if not there.

I do hope you can get somewhere permanent Gem and well done to you and your fellow volunteers for keeping it going.

[Daisy]

WeeGranny - it just shows what even a small group of determined people can do, though. Long may your library thrive.