After numerous delays, the New Church End library finally reopened on the 25th of September 2017, on Regents Park Road. The anticipation of the opening of the new library excited me; I had spent a vast amount of time in the library as a young child and more recently during exam season. However, the new design and layout of the library has disappointed numerous local residents and some of the new operating practises have frustrated many.

A self-service system has been established in the library, with limited hours available to the public. Any member under 16 is unable to enter the library during self-service hours for health and safety reasons. There has been a decrease in staff since the reopening and those who are still employed are on reduced hours due to budget cuts. Staff are required to travel around the borough in order to fulfil all the council’s requirements. Roy Segal, a retired local Librarian of 30 years said “Libraries should be fully accessible to the public, enabling developments in knowledge as well as being a suitable place for families to go together”.

Libraries attract all generations, from young children to the elderly. Many parents often take their children to libraries, these visits provide exposure to reading and learning opportunities. Students use Libraries for research and study, using resources from paper to technology. Social media has a dominant influence on all our lives; it is therefore essential that libraries offer an escape from the temptations of modern society.