Walkley Library

[WalkleyIan 10]

The plan is for the children's library area to stay completely separate from the cafe bar / joint use area.

[Blackbeard 10]

I forgot to add, there will be a salaried library manger in the proposal as well as the growing group of volunteers. After reading your comment I'm not sure if that's enough.

 

Interesting, I seem to remember the Burngreave proposal included paid staff and that was rejected.

https://burngreavelibrary.wordpress.com/2014/09/

[WalkleyIan 10]

Interesting, I seem to remember the Burngreave proposal included paid staff and that was rejected.

https://burngreavelibrary.wordpress.com/2014/09/

 

Ill recheck with the library group to see that I heard that correctly in all the meeting noise but I think they said the Forum bar would be paying the salary.

 

Will confirm one way or other.

 

---------- Post added 12-02-2015 at 09:25 ----------

 

Library manager paid for by the Forum was in the plan. Had this update since the meeting.

 

Dear Volunteers, Library Users, Walkley Residents and Interested Parties,

Many thanks to those of you who were able to come along to Tuesday's public meeting (10th Feb).

Given the very diverse range of opinions expressed at the meeting, Walkley Carnegie Library group are arranging an emergency Committee meeting to review the discussion points and our possible ways forward.

We are likely to be running further public consultation, details to be announced.

Thank-you for your continued interest in the future of our local library service.

Kind Regards,

Walkley Carnegie Library - Committee

(LT)

[bluecanary 13]

The plan is for the children's library area to stay completely separate from the cafe bar / joint use area.

 

That's great - thanks for replying.

[PJLE 10]

It was interesting to see that Forum Café Bars bid changed from a lease to a purchase of the freehold and we were told by the owner that his company never enters a venture without owning the freehold. It would be interesting to see the original bid (if it has not been shredded). To many at the meeting the purchase looked like a done deal.

Meanwhile it is difficult to see how a library can function within the new plan. The existing children's library will be the main part of the new library with book space shared with the servery and dining areas. To make this even worse it seems that the council will only spend £500 on new books (presumably for the foreseeable future but Mazher Iqbal had done no research before coming to this meeting to tell us otherwise).

In the long term it is difficult to see how the library could work after 2017 as the Library Management Service (the system that allows librarians to manage users, books, fines, book orders etc.) will not be available to Associate libraries unless they can pay for it after that date.

[tzijlstra 11]

It was interesting to see that Forum Café Bars bid changed from a lease to a purchase of the freehold and we were told by the owner that his company never enters a venture without owning the freehold. It would be interesting to see the original bid (if it has not been shredded). To many at the meeting the purchase looked like a done deal.

Meanwhile it is difficult to see how a library can function within the new plan. The existing children's library will be the main part of the new library with book space shared with the servery and dining areas. To make this even worse it seems that the council will only spend £500 on new books (presumably for the foreseeable future but Mazher Iqbal had done no research before coming to this meeting to tell us otherwise).

In the long term it is difficult to see how the library could work after 2017 as the Library Management Service (the system that allows librarians to manage users, books, fines, book orders etc.) will not be available to Associate libraries unless they can pay for it after that date.

 

 

They're even taking the LMS away? That is astonishing.

[hyper 10]

It was interesting to see that Forum Café Bars bid changed from a lease to a purchase of the freehold and we were told by the owner that his company never enters a venture without owning the freehold. It would be interesting to see the original bid (if it has not been shredded). .

So does this mean they are selling the building then? That's how it reads. like someone above said, I thought it was left in trust.

[PJLE 10]

So does this mean they are selling the building then? That's how it reads. like someone above said, I thought it was left in trust.

 

Yes the council are selling to Kane Yeardley, owner of Forum Café Bars but they claim the council will retain a 125 year lease (presumably on the children's library area).

[maykay 10]

i think i may live opposite you placebo. Seems like this is a done deal. Walkley Community Library Futures Group have agreed to work with forum cafe bars, this proposal was submitted in 2013 i'm led to believe. I think the next meeting will be to tell us when work will begin. It was the first i'd heard of it on Tuesday. I'm not happy, but like everything. Our opinions count for nothing. So much for democracy.

[Kidorry 189]

I think they only have these meetings because I think they are legally obliged too.

[JuncoGardner 10]

I've lived in Walkley the last 30 years or so, and after a period of decline there are real signs of the area picking up. It's increasingly attracting younger professional people and families, and there's a clear sea change in the local demographic. I'm taking a risk on the inevitable criticism this will attract, but neither I or any of my friends ever go to any of the few remaining pubs. They all cater for the same sort of crowd, and it's just not me. I love the Forum bars and pubs: if they were to open in the library it would be a guaranteed success and stimulate a wider revival of the whole area. All my local friends agree. It wouldn't take any business from the existing pubs because we don't go there anyway, but it might stop us going into town or broomhill so often. As for noise, the Walkley cottage, rose house, florist and palm are all in residential areas, and I'm not aware of any problems being reported about them, in fact they all continue to breathe life into the area. So give it a chance and help more people spend more of their money in Walkley. And if there's any way to help it happen, please let me know.

[owls66 10]

I think its a shame that the time has come when we have to sort out our own libries.We need these facilities for all generations to learn and enjoy literature.