Library in London : the fight of a local community

WEEK 2 : D. Lefèvre

Almost 270 libraries recently close their door in England, according to the Public National Librairies News Website.

To oppose the decision of the council of London to close the Friern Barnet library in the north of London, eight squatters entered into it, through an open window, and become, as the article of the Guardian named them, "community librarians".
They reopened the library and "occupied" it. Thanks to locals' help, the library is now open 4 days a week. Neighbors are so glad to come again into the library, which has been closed since november 2011.

In the Guardian's video, some volunteers are helping the squatters to reorganize book's borrowing. They complain about the closure of this library, which was a real community space, accessible, with a friendly and hopeful staff and a large choice of books, especially for childrens. The library also organized lectures and university lessons, attracting people of the neighborhood. For one of the neighbor, this closure is a real disaster.
But, surprisingly, the council doesn't instigate the eviction of the squatters : they entered into negotiation and actually think about the future of this public equipment. The council suggest a new system of volunteer-run library. But the squatters are prudent : they don't want the council to engaged a "council chief executive" to manage a volunteers' team and be paid 10 times the salary of a librarian.

This article put in light the bad situation of libraries in England but also the powerful will and commitment of citizen to fight for an equal access to public cultural equipment. (260 words)