Friends of Sydenham Library

A Christmas Story, Saturday 17 December.

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:07:26 +0000

MORE WORKERS NEEDED!

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:13:38 +0000

Sunday 13th November from 12 pm till 3pm (it’s Remembrance Sunday so we are starting a little later).

Sunday December 4th, from 10pm till 3pm.

Despite its leaky roof (we’ve really benefitted from this year’s drought), the library continues to be well used, and to enrol new users. However, it is still in need of some sorting out. It has already hosted a conference on urban design, and two planning meetings, and will host the Sydenham Assembly on 29th November.

So we are holding a library work day, on Sunday 13th November, with the aim of re-organising some of the office space, and moving some of the bookshelves back to create a meeting space.

The workday will not start until 12 pm, as this is Remembrance Sunday, and will continue till about 3pm. We aim to hold a further workday on Sunday December 4th,running from 10pm till 3pm.

Please tell your friends, and come along if you can, for all or part of the time. Wear old clothes and stout shoes, and bring work gloves. Not all the work is strenuous – it could include wiping bookshelves, and moving small trolleys of books.

Sandwiches, coffee and tea will be provided.

The next meeting of the Friends of Sydenham Community Library is on Tuesday 6th December, at Sydenham Library, 7.30-9pm.

WORKERS NEEDED!

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:56:59 +0000

Sat Oct 29, 10-3ish; 210 Sydenham Road, London SE26

Volunteers are needed to help clear some of the upstairs rooms and the courtyard at the library.

The work will involve sorting and packing up materials and moving them either downstairs at the library, or possibly for recycling.

In the courtyard, shrubs need trimming and dead leaves need clearing. Old clothes, stout shoes, and work gloves recommended.

Sandwich lunch will be provided. Drop in for as long as you like!

Please phone or email Ilse Towler on 020 8778 3743 if you would like lunch or email her at the following address: iandj.towler@btopenworld.com

Many thanks

VOTE to help fund a cafe in Sydenham library

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:30:28 +0000

A message from Darren Taylor of Eco Computer Systems:

We would like to install a small cafe in the library, to make it a more relaxing space for people to stay, read and socialise.

Natwest Bank has shortlisted our organisation for their Community Force Award, and we need you to vote for our organisation to win this grant to make a cafe in the library a reality.Please follow this link to vote for us:

http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5148Important – When you vote please follow the following procedures. Many votes have not been added because action 4 has not been done.

1. Go to the link above.
2. Register and then it will send a activation email to your email address
3. Login to your email and click on the link in your email to validate your registration
4. Go into the Link http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5148 and click on vote

Please vote, make a difference.

FOSCL meeting 27th September

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:35:11 +0000

Friends of Sydenham Community Library: meeting 27th September start 7.30 PM (to 9.30PM) at Sydenham Community Library next to Home Park.

Sydenham library was under threat of closure and many in the local community campaigned successfully to retain a library service.

The library is now run by Darren Taylor a Social of Eco Computer Systems. Lewisham council state that the Community Library provision, which is hosted by Eco

Computer Systems in their Sydenham Community Hub, is still the responsibility of the Council.

This is an open meeting to which all that wish to support Sydenham Community Library are warmly invited.

Public Meeting – Wednesday, 29 June at Sydenham Library 7.30pm – 8.30pm

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:06:02 +0000

Darren Taylor of Eco-Computer Systems invites all those interested in the future of Sydenham Library to a Public Meeting on Thursday 29 June. He is happy to share his future plans for the library and answer any questions the local community may have.

On the Agenda will be the decision about what to call the library – Sydenham Library or Sydenham Community Library. It is also hoped that a “Friends of Sydenham (Community) Library” group will be formed from which representatives, with the required skills, will join the Management Board to help take forward this new venture.

Darren would like to meet anyone interested in volunteering to help run the library. If you are interested but cannot come along on 29 June please contact Darren darren@ecocomputersystems.org.uk.

Information items:

In partnership with Sydenham Arts Festival the Friends of Home Park will be holding an Arts in the Park Family Fun Day on Sunday 3 July.

Brochures giving details of all the events taking place during the Sydenham Arts Festival, 1 – 17 July, can be found in Sydenham and Forest Hill Libraries and local cafes and pubs throughout the SE26 and SE23 areas.

A new chapter for your local library service.

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Tue, 24 May 2011 16:58:24 +0000

A Statement from Darren Taylor, Eco Computer Systems

A new chapter for your local library service.

Lewisham Council is handing over the running of the Sydenham library building to the social enterprise Eco Computer Systems on 28th May 2011. You will continue to be able to use Lewisham library services in the building after 31st May 2011.

What services will be available?
You will be able to borrow books from the stock here in the community library and order items from other libraries. In the summer we will be installing a self-service kiosk that will allow you to manage your own library account, enable you to access more than 5 million library items from across London and use other online Council services.

Eco Computer Systems will develop IT services that will provide access to the internet to support activities such as homework clubs and job searches. Wi-fi connection will also be available. Dates and details on these facilities will be published as soon as they are confirmed.

Who will be able to help me?
Eco Computer Systems staff and volunteers in the community library will assist you in accessing the Lewisham library book stock. Maybe you would like to become a Volunteer? Please email me your details under the subject of Volunteers at Sydenham Library.

Lewisham library staff will be visiting regularly to provide reader development activities for residents of all ages including storytime sessions, reading groups and the summer reading challenge.

Kindest Regards

Darren Taylor
CEO – Eco Computer Systems
darren@ecocom.org.uk
twitter – ecocomputersys

Picture credit: NEWSHOPPER

LIBRARY TO CLOSE…or not?

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:59:08 +0000

We can’t let this happen, so…

Dear Save Sydenham Library supporters

The Mayor, Sir Steve Bullock, yesterday took the decision to close Sydenham Library on 28 May, along with the other four libraries under threat of closure. He instructed officers between now and the 28 May to seek detailed bids from groups wishing to run the affected libraries and report the outcome in due course to the Mayor and Cabinet.

The Mayor’s decision needs to be approved by the full council meeting on the 1 March, although this could be regarded as a mere formality.
The four groups who have expressed initial interest in running Sydenham Library are: Exam Success Education Centre Limited; Eco Computer Systems; John Laing Integrated Services Ltd and SociaCapita Solutions.
The officers presenting the case for closure at yesterday’s meeting were asked to ensure that the local community will be involved in the discussions about the future of the library. They confirmed that this would be the case.
While the decision is extremely disappointing, especially for the library staff some of whom will be made redundant on 28 May, it is worth noting that without the pressure of the strong borough-wide campaign Sydenham library would have been closed before Christmas and the building would have been put on the Council’s disposal list. An Outreach library service, with a self-issue facility, would have been available at the Naborhood Centre with 10 hours of library staffing per week.
The outcome of the campaign has ensured the library building will continue to provide a service for which it was intended. The Save Sydenham Library Campaign Group will now be working hard to get the best possible deal for local residents from whichever is the successful bidder.
We will keep you informed of developments as they emerge.
As a pleasing footnote: information has recently been received from Lewisham council that it proposes to “locally list” Sydenham Library. This is not a full English Heritage listing with all the protection for a building that this affords. However it is an acknowledgement that the building is of significant importance to the local environment and “has historical value as a Carnegie Library and also architectural value as a piece of well studied architecture in a municipal building”.

Sydenham Library Read-in on SCR

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:44:02 +0000

Many thanks to Sydenham Community Radio who reported, conducted interviews and supported us at the Read-in at Sydenham Library.

More than 100 people turned out at Saturday 5th February to support an event as part of ‘Save Our Libraries Day’. This event, like many others held around the country, was a chance for those who use and care about our public library to celebrate it and demonstrate the value of arts in the community. It hoped to raise awareness of the effect that budget cuts could have on many library services.

Gareth Harries attended the ‘read-in’ for Sydenham Community Radio and spoke to some of the people in attendance. The event was arranged by Louise Brooks, organiser of the Save Sydenham Library campaign. She has used a library at different times in her life; as a youngster, a student and now, as a Mum and she described them as the ‘fabric of our society’.

To read more click here: http://sydenhamradio.co.uk/news/

READ-IN DETAILS

Lee @ Designed By Good People — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:46:21 +0000

Come and join in our day celebration in honour of Sydenham Library

Highlights include:

11.30 Rhyme Time.

12.00 A reading from Baroness Mary Warnock.

12.15 Local poet and author Chrissie Gittins will be reading her poem ‘Longing to be Heard’ in honour of Sydenham Library.

12.25 Jim Helmore & Karen Hall, authors of ‘Stripy Horse’ to read an excerpt from one of their books.

12.35 Local author Julie Day will read from her book ‘Rosie and the Sick School’.

12.45 Guardian columnist Lucy Mangan to read an excerpt from her book ‘Hopscotch & Handbags’.

13.00 Balloon release outside the library.

There will also be an appearance by dub group Sly and Reggie performing their song ‘We Love Libraries’.

Check us out on Facebook.

READ-INS AT OTHER LIBRARIES:

Grove Park is from 2-3pm

Crofton Park: 11.30 – 13.00pm

Blackheath Village library 2-4 pm

New Cross 3-4pm

Good luck to all the other Read-in’s.