Community meetings to be help as residents fight to save Woodston Library in Peterborough
Woodston Library has been listed as an asset that could potentially be sold by Peterborough City Council.
Residents in Peterborough will hold a public meeting on Thursday (September 5) as they step up attempts on save Woodston Library from closure.
A further meeting will also be held on Saturday (September 7). Both will take place at 2pm at the library.
Woodston Library, located on Orchard Street, was one of 79 buildings- and 10 libraries- listed by the council as assets it could sell in a bid to raise cash last year.
A group named Woodston Library Friends has now been formed as residents seek to secure a bright future for the library.
Amongst the complaints has been a neglect of the building, lack of promotion and reduced opening hours.
The community public meetings will provide people with the chance to give their support, find out how to get involved and volunteer. They will also be able to join the library and learn more about what it has to offer.
The library is closed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and for the remaining days, is only staffed between 9am-12pm on Tuesdays, 1:30pm-5pm on Thursdays and 2pm-5:30pm on Saturdays. The remaining time the library is open for self-service but some of its services, such as printing and photocopying can only be done with a staff member present.
Elaine Wilkinson, local resident and member of Woodston Library Friends, said: “Woodston library is an important community asset. It has been under resourced and public access has been limited, but we want to change that.
"We have held discussions with the council over several months, and believe we have come up with viable, low-cost solutions to make it an easily accessible and better used service for local residents.
"Unfortunately, we are still waiting for any of the actions discussed to be implemented. We are willing to help develop the library for the future, through increasing the self-service opening hours, as well as events, activities, and community group use. We would like to help create a lively and vibrant community hub.
“We have lots of local people and children keen to volunteer and get involved, and have received tremendous support from nearby schools, local and national organisations and others who share our passion for reading, learning and education.
"The friendly and helpful staff provide a great local service and there is a real threat we will lose that. We hope the Council will hear our voices.”