Please can you rally to defend Upper Norwood Joint Library And Lambeth Library Service and Historic Archives by attending the Lambeth Council Cabinet Meeting? Robert Gibson on behalf of the Upper Norwood Library Campaign asks if you can come to Dunraven School at 6.30pm on Monday for a Lambeth Cabinet Meeting. It is being held at the school as Brixton Town Hall is being redeveloped. The school is at 94 – 98 Leigham Court Road Streatham, London SW16 2QB Statistics in Lambeth's 2020 Report show that the Upper Norwood Joint Library is the 5th busiest library in Lambeth out of the 10, and yet Lambeth Council is proposing the Upper Norwood library service is decommisioned and only given neighbourhood library status ie no longer offering a statutory provision library service with no permanent library staff and reduced book stock. On Friday the 2 October Robert attended a very sombre meeting with the Friends of Lambeth Libraries at Lambeth Council were Lambeth announced its proposals to take a £1m out of its library budget. Our thoughts go out to our library staff who have already dealt with so much stress and maintained normality with such aplomb. The proposals are here http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/documents/s77364/Culture%202020%20Appendix%202a%20EQIA%20Libraries.pdf Topline points Lambeth comprehensive 10 library provision across the borough becomes '10 static library access points' There will be funding for 5 town centre libraries in Brixton, Clapham West Norwood and Streatham. It plans to decommission existing library service at Carnegie, Minet Waterloo, Upper Norwood Joint Library and either Tate South or Durning. This will be replaced with a 'neighbourhood service that will include WIFI, computers, study space, book stock, programmed activity. Staff will visit regularly, but not be permanently stationed. Management of Upper Norwood Joint Library building to be transferred to the Upper Norwood Library Trust via Croydon Council. Neighbourhood library service to be provided by Lambeth Library Service. Carnegie, Minet and either Tate South or Durning to be made into healthy living centres with gym mixed usage and reduced library service offer buildings to be leased to GLL. A 4 week consultation to inform if Durning Library or Tate South should be a 5th temporary town centre library. Capital provided for new library provision at West Norwood subject to planning permission. Waterloo Library to close to public April 2016 service to be relocated to Lambeth Library Service Oasis Centre. Options appraisal on the long term venue for the Lambeth borough archives to be concluded by September 2016. The report goes before Lambeth Council Cabinet on the 12 October which will be open to the public at a meeting held at MON 12TH OCT at 6.30PM. Dunraven School, 94 – 98 Leigham Court Road, London SW16 2QB Please lobby your MP and local councillors in support of our library. Its future has never been so imperilled. But with strong community action we can get a better deal for the residents of Crystal Palace. Steve Reed Croydon North MP and former leader of Lambeth Council has confirmed he is still backing Upper Norwood being properly funded and professionally staffed as a town centre library. And the Crystal Palace Foundation and the Norwood Society have both voiced their support. http://insidecroydon.com/2015/10/08/norwood-society-calls-for-protest-against-library-closure/ http://insidecroydon.com/2015/10/08/mp-reed-committed-to-funding-for-upper-norwood-library/