Community Halls Audit

Friends of West Norwood Library and Norwood Forum are seeking an individual or organisation to carry out an audit of bookable community spaces in West Norwood. The audit will aim to include information such as:

• the location of community facilities in Norwood in the area (map available)
• the audit should include  but is not limited to public sector, faith, educational, cultural, private and voluntary sector run spaces
• the footprint/size/capacity of the facility that is available for use by community and voluntary sector organisations
• when it is available for use
• how it is currently used (including non community uses e.g. religious, private parties, education)
• the cost of hire
• type of facilities on offer
• governance and management arrangements
• Disabled access to facilities
• examination of the previous users of the Nettlefold Hall and what their need for space is

If you are interested in being considered to carry out this work, please provide a brief method statement setting out your approach, along with associated costs. This should be sent to info@norwoodforum.org.uk, to be received no later than 5pm on Friday 14th December. It is anticipated that interviews for candidates will be held during the week commencing 17th December. The audit should be completed by January 31st 2013. It is anticipated that the information gathered through the audit process will be used to inform a separate piece of work, the production of an on-line directory, available to the wider community in the Norwood area

Late night library opening on Wednesdays

The temporary library based in The Old library at 14-16 Knights Hill SE27 has just extended its opening hours on Wednesdays to 8pm.

So opening times are now:

• Monday – 10am – 4pm
• Tuesday – Closed
• Wednesday – 10am – 8pm
• Thursday – 10am – 1pm
• Friday – 10am – 12.30pm
• Saturday – 10am – 5pm
• Sunday – Closed

Cllr Jackie Meldrum at The Old Library

The council had a great response to the consultation on  libraries across the borough and is now considering  all the comments. The next step will be  to work with local communities  to work out a way forward for each library. The council will be holding more public meetings and events and details will be available in the coming weeks.

Friends of West Norwood Library are discussing the future library service in West Norwood . New members are welcome – FWNL@hotmail.co.uk or see facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-West-Norwood-Library-FoWNL/153384884734244

What’s the future of West Norwood Library?

Cllr Mike Smith at library closed for repairs

West Norwood Library & Nettlefold Halls remain closed since June 2011 as a consequence of damage from vandalism and theft. When repairs started, asbestos was found and this caused a long delay. The asbestos has now been removed but the building is still in a very poor condition and  will take a lot of money to fix. A condition survey is being undertaken to identify  what further work is needed. The survey should  be completed during January 2012 and it is not possible to estimate an re-opening date for the  West Norwood Library and Nettlefold Halls until this survey is done.  In the meantime the building is secured to reduce the risk of further vandalism.

Cllr Nosegbe, chair of the Lambeth Libraries Commission, says  “There  will be a fully functioning library in West Norwood. Our libraries are essential, they are open to all and benefit everyone and we are working with the community to make sure a full library service is back serving our residents as soon as possible. The temporary library service currently available at the Lambeth Resource Centre is unsatisfactory. We want to deliver more for Norwood and we are looking at alternative sites, like the Old Library, for a better library service in the meantime. “

At a meeting in November with local residents there were  lots of constructive ideas on what people wanted in their future local library in West Norwood. A consultation process about the future of the building  is underway and the council is  seeking the views of the community, residents, library users and members of the Friends groups.

The Libraries Commission looked at the future of Lambeth’s library service bearing in mind  the council has much less money to spend. For details of the work of the Library Commission see http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CouncilDemocracy/MakingADifference/LibrariesCommission.htm

To get involved in the future of all of Lambeth’s libraries contact the council by emailing  LibrariesHaveYourSay@lambeth.gov.uk , text  07772 103 628 or phone  0800 013 1497 or 020 7926 6397.

The Friends of West Norwood Library welcome new members – email FWNL@hotmail.co.uk or see them on facebook.

WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR LIBRARY?

Olu Opanuga, chair of Friends of West Norwood Library

The Friends of West Norwood Library have arranged a meeting at 7pm on Monday 14th November 2011 at the Old Library, 16 Knights Hill ( near the Post Office)  to hear the latest news on the library from the council and talk about the services local people want to see in the  re-opened library in West Norwood.

West Norwood Library & the Nettlefold Halls have been closed for repairs since June..For further information contact  FWNL@hotmail.co.uk

Temporary library needed for longer

Jackie Meldrum at the temporary library in Parkhall Road

Repairs following the theft of the copper roof of West Norwood Library and Nettlefold Hall are underway . Unfortunately the repairs  have revealed asbestos, a building material commonly used in the 1950s to 1970’s.

The council is taking sensible precautions to deal with the asbestos  -unfortunately this means that the planned repair work is going to take longer than anticipated. In the meantime a temporary library is now operating Monday- Friday 10am to 4pm at  1 Parkhall Road SE21 8EH ( at west end of Robson Road beside the cemetery) where people can continue to borrow books until West Norwood Library reopens

Cllr Florence Nosegbe, councillor with responsibility for Libraries says “Please be assured that I want to see the library and halls reopened as soon as possible but Lambeth’s  first priority is to make the building safe. We ask library users to bear with us, as the safety of those working on the site has to be our top priority.”

Local library users have set up a supporters group called Friends of West Norwood Library.  They can  be contacted at FWNL@hotmail.co.uk   and via  facebook.   The Friends are encouraging as many people as possible to fill in the Library Survey – its online  & will only take a few minutes to complete : http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/surveys/acs/libraries/libraries.htm