From [twitter.com]

Old Grove Vale library closing on 11 Dec, new one by ED station opening with extended hours on 17 Dec.

Very exciting.
Something I started in 2005. Hugely delayed by the financial crash. Then construction cost inflation. Finally arriving. Hope everyone likes it. Twice floor space f current one. The new Grove Vale library lease is 125 years long on £100 pa versus old lease of £44,000 pa. So huge running cost savings allowing extra opening hours - always my vision

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Regards jamesvbarber@gmail.com
former Liberal Democrat Councillor for East Dulwich Ward (2006-2018)
[www.jamesbarber.org.uk]
[twitter.com]

That's great to know. Thanks James.

Nice work James, proud day for you. My congrats.

Very exciting, plus new secondary school opening in Jan, thank you!

Great to see libraries get the love and investment they need 🙌

I can't imagine the amount of crap you had to fight, nor the hours of waffle and attempts at derailing this from finally happening, but, as with all the rest of the fine work Goose Green and the surrounding areas has benefited from, a huge thank you James and I hope you stand for councillor again. I still can't believe the results of the last local election.

Well done thank you James.

Just wondering what was wrong with the original Grove Vale library?

Passiflora Wrote:
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> Just wondering what was wrong with the original
> Grove Vale library?

High rent costs. No public toilet.

Thanks James. Good work!

Wow, that's a fantastic legacy for your time in office James.

Let's just hope Labour don;t turn it into a gym in a few years time!

Abe_froeman Wrote:
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> Let's just hope Labour don;t turn it into a gym in
> a few years time!

Let's hope Labour get back into government before the Tories can continue with austerity, having already shut down nearly 500 (over 10%) of public libraries. There's only one party that's a threat to libraries, and unfortunately they're in power (just).

Outwith party politics, thank you very much James for your part in bringing the community such a fabulous new asset; living very close by we're thrilled to have it - and the fact that one can now pick up a decent bottle in the same building to accompany one's reading is icing on the cake!

Well done James, great legacy and great amenity for the community.

Passiflora Wrote:
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> Just wondering what was wrong with the original
> Grove Vale library?


Without being flippant, have you been in? Aside from the size they don't have accessible toilets and the whole building was shabby and tired. Accessibility was a real problem too as the adult part is really cramped. The new library will have much more 'facilities', though I'm still on the fence about a café in the library.

Is that definite about a cafe? Can't find anything online about it. Hope it's well soundproofed from the reading/working areas if so!

Hi SE22cat,
You have no idea!

Hi worldwide,
Indeed. But not invite to the opening :o(

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Regards jamesvbarber@gmail.com
former Liberal Democrat Councillor for East Dulwich Ward (2006-2018)
[www.jamesbarber.org.uk]
[twitter.com]

No idea whether the café is just hearsay or definite. One of the people working in the existing library mentioned it to my husband but it might have been a misunderstanding. All will be revealed in a couple of weeks I suppose!

bels123 Wrote:
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> Passiflora Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Just wondering what was wrong with the original
> > Grove Vale library?
>
> High rent costs. No public toilet.

Outside staff toilets!

Cafe is more a stand. Which means an extra pair of eyes always present which should mean longer opening hours. Coffeee stand should be complimentary to the library.

I think you'd be justified in gatecrashing this one James!

Just wondering why a café would be needed in a library? Toilets were not an option years ago in Dulwich Library and certainly not in Grove Vale Library but you just coped even though Labour closed down lots of public toilets. Seems like everybody needs to have their cup of coffee on the go these days.

There are already several cafes in that area so I can’t see the point of having one in the library.

The cafes in John Harvard and Canada Water libraries are very successful but their positioning within the area is much better in both cases. In the case of the small one in the new Grove Vale library, it will be tucked away from most foot traffic and I can’t see it being so successful but I guess time will tell.

If it raises money and encourages library use, that's good, but if the inevitable spills and littering are not seen to then it won't be worthwhile.

Personally, I love the idea of a cafe in the new library!

I fail to see how the hell James hasn't got an invite to the opening, or indeed why he hasn't been asked to formally open the library after all his hard work in bringing it to the community. Does it really make any sense not to celebrate and recognise his heartfelt and tireless efforts? Whoever's choice this was, karma is sure going to make their life miserable!