Published: 28 March, 2013
by DAN CARRIER

THE Regent's Park branch library closes it doors this week after nearly 50 years, prompting users to accuse the Town Hall of cutting a vital service in an area that relies heavily on the branch for books, computer services and as a place to meet.

Library user Frank Kelly, who has run a campaign to keep the library open, said: “We are devastated. I have been using this library since 1963 and it is at the heart of our community. Loads of children from our schools and older people use it every day.”

The branch will be run by the Citizens Advice Bureau and used for computers, with no books available. The Town Hall say they hope to open another branch at a later date but no details have been confirmed. Mr Kelly also believes the Town Hall are giving away it’s book stock, a claim vehemently denied by the council.

Mr Kelly added: “They shouldn’t be closing our branch – and if they do, they should at least pass the books on to another public library. The taxpayer paid for them – they’re not the council’s to give away.”

He is disappointed the Town Hall hasn’t helped users set up a charitable trust to run the library, as has happened at the Chalk Farm, Belsize and Keats Grove branches. He added: “We were not even given the option to manage it.

Libraries chief Labour councillor Tulip Siddiq, said: “When Regent’s Park library closes and before the Citizens Advice Bureau opens, the books will be gifted to organisations who have expressed an interested in them, including West Euston Healthy Comm-unity Project, Samuel Lithgow Youth Centre, Netley School and Bengali Workers’ Association.

"The remaining good quality books will be re-allocated to other Camden libraries where they are needed. Anything left over which can’t be used because it is out of date or too worn will be donated to charity.”