UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY: QUESTIONS – AND ANSWERS
UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY TRUST have issued the following ‘question and answer leaflet’:
What will you do with my money?
We will use it to keep the library open and thriving. As a registered charity our vision is to have a professionally staffed and properly stocked library at the heart of a community learning hub. To do this we need to supplement the funds supplied by Lambeth and Croydon councils. Your pledge will be used for essential things such as:
• Staff salaries
• Electricity, heat and light
• Building maintenance
• Book/music/film stock purchasing, repairs and maintenance
• Costs of maintaining the computer system for lending, returns and renewals
• Supporting IT and learning provision in the Library
• Supporting the cost of open groups and regular activities at the Library aimed mainly at local people
• Accounts, administration and filing costs of running the charitable Library Trust.
Wherever possible these legal requirements are undertaken by volunteers to keep costs to a minimum.
Who are you?
We are a group of local residents – previously part of the Save the Library Campaign – who have set up a Trust in order to deliver a 21st century library with professional staff and a properly stocked library at the heart of a community learning hub.
We are all volunteers and have no financial interest in the library. All our details are on our website. www.unlt.org
What are you doing?
We are negotiating the best possible deal with the funding councils but we need the wholehearted support of the local community to be able to deliver the service you deserve.
We will take over the building in April 2016 and until then we are running various pilot projects to evaluate ways to raise revenue and ways to serve the local community.
I heard the library was closing?
No – it’s being handed over to the Trust shortly after April and we aim to keep it open. Upper Norwood Library Trust : Charity Number : 1151668 | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uppernorwoodlibrarytrust | www.unlt.org | Twitter: @UNLibrarytrust |
What will happen to the staff?
We don’t know yet – they are currently talking about all their options with Lambeth. We intend to have professional staff, as well as volunteers, in the building.
Will I still be able to come to Waggle and Hum (or other activities)? We want to run as many activities as possible, with the help of paid staff, volunteers and through other sources.
How does your work connect with the Campaign?
We have all been involved in campaigning over the last few years – the Trust is now involved the detail of how to run the library and we support the efforts of the campaign to persuade Lambeth and Croydon to give us more money to do that.
How long will you be able to do this for?
We have funding for two years and will negotiate with the councils to extend that. We have to make our income sustainable from other sources so we’re not so dependent on council funding.
Doesn’t the council just want to sell off the building?
They’ve said they want to retain their buildings, and we want to run a community hub and library that’s so successful they won’t ever want or need to sell it off.
When can I volunteer?
For the Trust, after April.
What hours will the library be open?
We don’t know exactly yet but we hope every day.
Shouldn’t we insist the council keeps a well stocked and staffed statutory library in Upper Norwood?
Lambeth and Croydon councils have made a decision to offer the library for community management. Against a backdrop of local council shortfalls everywhere, we feel the most practical thing we can do to safeguard our Library is to start work to make this a viable reality.
How much do you need to raise to make community management work?
About £80,000 at a minimum would make our current business plan viable. 100 local supporters at £100 would raise up to £12,500 a year with gift aid: 200 could raise up to £25,000. That kind of demonstration that local people value their Library will be very important in persuading other potential funders to make up the difference.