Please note this initiative is taking place in a experimental free market local council areadubbed ‘easty council’ based on Easyjet’s no frills (ie minimal services) commercial operation. read links below for more info.
Main Web-sites
http://fbpeopleslibrary.co.uk/
https://sites.google.com/site/savefriernbarnetlibrary
Sign please: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/re-open-friern-barnet-library
Blogs:
http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/phoenix-rising-librar...
http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/went-day-well-broken-...
http://www.furnessphotography.com/4/post/2012/10/on-the-road-in-the...
http://barneteye.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/friern-barnet-library-true-...
News Links / Extracts
http://www.itv.com/news/london/2012-09-20/the-campaign-to-save-frie...
Financial Times http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/33ccf288-16b2-11e2-957a-00144feabdc0.html...
“Last week a district judge in the London borough delayed eviction proceedings against squatters who a month ago occupied and reopened a library at Friern Barnet. It had been closed by the Conservative-controlled council as part of its radical experiment in shrinking local public services. “Guerrilla” librarians have kept the building open 48 hours a week and residents have donated 5,000 books to restock the shelves. There are children’s story sessions and exercise classes. Donations dropped into a biscuit tin keep the lights on.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/oct/12/friern-barnet-library...“”The community library is the ‘big society’ by definition, but it is not the ‘big society’ as the government envisaged it,” said Mrs Angry, whose real name is Theresa Musgrove. “They wanted the ‘big society’ to be obedient and to enable the cuts they wanted.”
This is an ecumenical insurrection where full-time activists and union leaders worried about jobs are joined by retirees and local mothers. The cause has attracted the support of the leftwing film-maker Ken Loach, who has contributed to a documentary about the matter called The Billion Pound Gamble.
But there is also anecdotal evidence that the aggression of the council’s cuts is alienating core Conservative voters.
Ann Foskett, a Tory-voting grandmother who has lived in the area for 40 years, dropped off a bag of books at the library as the activists celebrated their court victory with tea and biscuits. She said the closure was “absolutely scandalous” adding: “I do vote Tory normally, but things have gone to pot, particularly for old people. There used to be lots of local groups meeting in libraries, but there’s nothing now.”"
http://www.barnet-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=35280&headline=Friern...
“THE battle over Friern Barnet Library will continue for another two months after a judge adjourned eviction proceedings until mid-December. Squatters occupying the former library in Friern Barnet Road have just over two months to prepare their defence against Barnet Council, which is attempting to have them removed from the building.”
The next library meeting/assembly is on Monday There is film screening of “A tale of two Barnets” also on Monday (6pm) – http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/a-tale-of-two-barnets-film-premiere
All info here re-posted from global change news-site:
http://www.peoplesassemblies.org/2012/10/london-community-library-l...
