FIGHT FOR FUTURE OF THREE LIBRARIES Join the battle to save heart of community
Campaigners to hold second protest in Cambuslang
Another protest to fight the controversial closure of the Cambuslang, Halfway and Blantyre libraries has been scheduled for next month.
Residents, parents and children campaigned on the afternoon of World Book Day in March outside of South Lanarkshire Council HQ to fight for the future of the three facilities.
This came after the board of South Lanarkshire Leisure & Culture (SLLC) approved proposals which would see the organisation withdraw its services from the venues.
The second ‘Save Our Libraries’ protest will take place on Thursday, May 9, at 11am outside of Cambuslang Library.
Cambuslang mum Tracey Macrury has organised both protests, and spoke about why another demonstration is necessary.
She said: “Our last protest was a reactionary one, but this time around, we are hoping for an even bigger turnout to show the community opposes this closure.
“We have to mobilise and get more of a response from the local community. The impact the closure will have will be massive, especially concerning young people’s education and closing the attainment gap.
“Our aim is to gather 10,000 signatures and we are well on our way to getting up there.
“If the library goes, you are losing the heart of the community. You have students, social groups, parents and their young kids, and the elderly, who are all using this free, safe resource.
“People are struggling financially in this area, including myself as a parent, and we need places like the library.”
Local politicians have joined Tracey’s fight, including Cambuslang East Councillor Katy Loudon, who said: “We were left completely in the dark when the council announced in the national press that two libraries are being ‘saved,’ and we have all been scrabbling trying to find information since.
“It’s only speaking to other councillors that I’ve heard that these libraries aren’t in our area, nothing is confirmed, and it appears to me to be a result of other circumstances rather than any wider strategic direction or purpose.
“Communication has been atrocious, and if the council are claiming they will ‘continue to work with local communities’ in the press, they need to take heed of the very clear message that the community council and the local community are sending them – library services in Cambuslang are best located in the existing and fit-for-purpose libraries.”
Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey said: “I wrote to the council leader in February to raise my serious concerns about such a move, asking key questions about accessibility issues at the Institute, its infrastructure, and how a move would affect the many groups and individuals who already use the halls. I still do not have answers to this.
“This situation is wholly unsatisfactory, and the fact that we still cannot get answers to basic questions just underlines the absolute mess that the administration has created. I urge them to go back to the drawing board, rather than trying to palm the community off with a reduced service, shoehorned into an inappropriate space.”
Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP Michael Shanks added: “I am determined the community will continue to have a library facility in Cambuslang. That might mean a different set-up to what we have at present, but a library must remain and must be accessible to everyone in the community.”
The Reformer reported on how relocation talks are ongoing to help save all three libraries.
A South Lanarkshire
Council meeting on Friday, April 26, detailed how things are progressing
For Blantyre Library, it was reported that there is no interest in a community asset transfer and investigations to date have focussed on the possibility of relocating some library services to Blantyre Leisure Centre. Other alternative locations considered included the David Dale House, which was not a viable option as the building is currently at capacity; Blantyre Life, which is already operating at a high capacity and may not be suitable; and noncouncil properties within the area, such as the David Livingstone Centre, are also being assessed for suitability.
In terms of Halfway Library, it has been noted that there is limited scope for suitable alternative facilities nearby. Discussions are ongoing with Education Resources on Park View and Hallside Primaries as possible options for accommodating children’s activities, such as Book Bug.
Alongside this, there has been some community interest in the building from Rain or Shine and LEAP. Rain or Shine has indicated they would consider offering a book exchange.
Investigations are continuing into the possibility of relocating some Cambuslang Library services to Cambuslang Institute or South Lanarkshire Lifestyles Eastfield.
It is noted that Cambuslang Community Council are against these proposals as they focus on offering a ‘library type provision’, but a follow-up meeting is scheduled.
Tracey continued: “At the latest Cambuslang Community Council meeting, we discussed the proposed move to the Cambuslang Institute and it is just not ideal. Our preferred option is to stay at
Cambuslang Gate.
“They have a duty to provide a library within this community and with what they are offering, you would struggle to call it that.
“The whole thing doesn’t make sense because the library in Cambuslang Gate still has two years left on its lease. They are still going to be paying for an empty floor and paying for the redeployment of staff. The reason they said for the closure was budget cuts, but how much are they actually saving?”
A South Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “South Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture have met with Cambuslang Community Council to discuss the future of the library given the unprecedented financial challenges being faced.
“In order to bridge the budget gap, withdrawing service from a number of facilities were considered. These included initially seven libraries, though that number has now been reduced to five.
“Work continues at the remaining five, which include Cambuslang Library, to identify potential ways that some services could be reprovisioned.
“This includes in some cases exploring specific alternative locations for library services and also talking to community groups where there may be local interest in community management of libraries or of alternative locations where some library services could operate from.”
This time we are hoping for a bigger turnout