COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

A volunteer-run library in Coventry has reopened following the coronavirus lockdown



The Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library welcomed back borrowers on September 21 after six months closure.

A renovation of the historice reading room, set up by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1912, has given library members a comfortable place to read.

A spokeswoman for the library said: “After six months closure we were able to open our doors to the public for browsing our book stock, using our IT services and selling used books and cards through our bookshop.

“It was so lovely to see a gentle flow of people who were overwhelmingly positive about our new Reading Room and very pleased to see us open.

“We’ve made so many changes to the library with our beautiful refurbishment, newly organised Children’s Library, additional bookcases in the Adult Library,

“Our Select and Collect scheme is still ongoing and in addition to this service, we’ve now made a limited number of computers available for use – you’ll just need to pre-book them by either phoning us on 02476977949 or by popping in for a booking form.”

Julie Rubidge, chair of Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library, says she is hoping the facility will have its lease extended



The chair of a volunteer-run library says the closure of council-run facilities is "short-sighted".

BBC analysis has found more than 180 council-run libraries in the UK were closed or handed over to volunteers since 2016.

Julie Rubidge is chair of trustees at Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library, which was taken over by volunteers in 2018.

"I think councils are being short-sighted. I think we offer a huge amount to the community," she said. "If we closed our doors I don’t know what people would do."

Now a registered charity, 70 people give up their time to keep the site running, which has been reinvented into a community space and cultural hub.

"The community centres have gone, the places for youths have gone, there’s no drop-in place provided any more unless you go to a pub or a cafe," Mrs Rubidge said.

"Our older population are very grateful, particularly with the digital exclusion that they're suffering... they can come in and get help."

The site is a registered place of welcome, external and frequented by primary schools as well as hosting a memory cafe, wellness sessions and events.

"Particularly in the winter, we have quite a few homeless people who wander in and stay all day," she added.

"If you have no money you can come to our library every day in the summer holidays and there'll be something new to do at no extra cost."

The facility is currently waiting to hear if an application for a ten-year lease beyond March will be signed off by the council.