Published: 31 January, 2013
by DAN CARRIER

TEACHERS in schools in Regent’s Park want the Town Hall to delay the closure of their area’s branch library, due to shut at the end of March.

Regent’s Park Library, in Robert Street, will close its doors on March 30 – but library users and schools are lobbying councillors to halt the plans.

Two years ago in a review of  library services, the leisure department was told to find savings of 25 per cent. Three branches were turned over to volunteers to run, with Regent’s Park branch, open for 50 years, to be closed and a new computer centre set up elsewhere.

Netley Primary acting deputy headteacher Tara Coffin, whose school is a five-minute walk from the library,  told the New Journal that it was a vital resource for pupils.

She said: “Our school community is very upset about the closure. The children use it for homework and to borrow books. It is vitally important to have access to a range of books and ICT equipment they may not have at home.

“Speaking to our children about it, many have said that one of the reasons they love it so much is that they are allowed to visit on their own. They would not be allowed to travel so far independently to visit another library and therefore would be unlikely to visit the library as often, if at all. We would be ecstatic if the library remained as it is now.”

But Town Hall leisure chief, Labour councillor Tulip Siddiq, said services would be provided elsewhere. She added: “Due to cuts from the government, we have had to make changes to all council services.

“We looked at how people used libraries. In Regent’s Park, book-borrowing levels were very low but a lot of people used the computers, and students used it for homework.

“We haven’t finalised details but we want a centre where people can  access computers and get advice. We have given funding to organisations to provide services that matter most. Library members can use Camden Town library, which is 10 minutes’ walk away. Elderly and disabled people will  have access to our home library service.”

Campaigners say plans to reopen a learning resource centre at a later date are flawed.

Library user Ann Cowell said: “Is it not shortsighted to just dispense with a purpose-built library? Set-up costs for another venue mean more money wasted.

“Groups of disadvantaged children use the children’s library. Where will they go?”