Friern Barnet Library - saved?!

After a furious few weeks of negotiations with Barnet Council - and, at times, with each other - campaigners to save Friern Barnet Library think they have got a deal of sorts to keep the library open.

A licence granted to a number of them to run a library and negotiate a longer-term solution. The press release below explains more:

The trustees of FBCL have now received an amended licence from LBB  to allow them to be in the library legally. They will have 2 weeks, with promise of renewal of licence if necessary, to negotiate a lease and other matters. LBB has shown a willingness to amend the licence to their satisfaction.

There was a meeting tonight [Thursday 31 January] at 7 pm where it was agreed that Occupy will hand over the keys to the building Tuesday 5th February 12 midday - EVERYONE WELCOME

The local residents thanked Occupy for a fantastic occupation.

Occupy encouraged Friern Barnet Community Library to continue to fight for a paid librarian and said this victory was not just about a local library but about the national campaign to save libraries everywhere.

I'm fully with Occupy on the need to keep pressing Barnet Council to provide a proper library service - in all its libraries. How it can do that when it wants to axe most of the professional librarian posts is anyone's guess.

I'm also with Occupy on what I read between the lines: that they don't trust the current Tory administration of Barnet Council an inch, and that the library will have to be defended for a good while to come.

But what has been achieved does show that campaigning works! Long live Friern Barnet Library!