Library Decision "Deferral" - LBH Climbdown or Smoke and Mirrors?

According to the Hounslow Chronicle, which has been helping residents to organise against the proposed library closures, the London Borough of Hounslow would appear to be retreating from its threat to close libraries across the board and will instead be "deferring some book purchases" and launching a "more specific consultation" over libraries which will "decide the longer term strategy".

The full text of the article is available here.

Whilst this hardly represents an unequivocal declaration that our libraries will be kept open, invested in and supported as a matter of policy it is of course welcome news up to a point.

However the glad tidings do not stop there.  Proposed cuts to community halls are also to be delayed.  Youth centre activities previously under threat will now remain open and fully functional, and hugely valued but costly street cleansing services will be kept after all.

The unanswered question of course is how retaining all these facilities, retained though they should be, is suddenly going to be paid for.  A few days ago we were to all intents and purposes being told that the firstborn could no longer be fed unless we would allow every community building, every venue at which local people might conceivably come into contact with one another, to be shut down instantly.  Now suddenly it would appear this was not the case.

Which begs two further questions in particular.  The first one being, if the money to keep these premises open and these services running truly does not exist, as we were first told, then how is the local authority going to finance this new, revised agenda?

Conversely, if the funds to keep the libraries and community venues open does exist and was always available, what was the motive behind suggesting closing them to begin with?

The community should accept this news in good faith, but we must ensure that it becomes more than just a stay of execution.  Activities in defence of our libraries, community buildings and area committees must continue until we have a cast iron guarantee that they will be protected for the duration of the current administration.

About Save Our Libraries LBH

Save Our Libraries LBH is an ad hoc initiative by Isleworth-based residents to lend our support and practical assistance to the campaign to keep Isleworth and other local libraries open, following proposals by the London Borough of Hounslow to axe up to eight of the borough's eleven libraries.

Whilst we appreciate the position that our local authority, like others, finds itself in, we believe that any move to close libraries in our borough would be a retrograde step, as well as quite possibly unlawful.  Libraries are a vital educational resource and it is in our view unreasonable and discriminatory to expect older or disabled people to travel to the "main" libraries in Hounslow, Feltham or Chiswick to access these facilities.

Unlike some other services, libraries would be almost impossible to replace once they have been closed down. Once your local library has gone, it will be gone forever.

A library, like our community halls and area committees (which are also under threat), is an essential resource for social interaction and local democracy.

Save Our Libraries LBH is not an organisation as such and does not have a formal membership structure.  If you agree with what we stand for and like what we are doing then you're in.

This site will be updated regularly.  Please keep an eye on it for regular news and activities.