The council is looking at ways for them to not just survive but continue to thrive for many more years to come.
Launching on Thursday 29 August 2024, the Libraries Service public consultation sets out a range of options as to how this provision may look like going forward, specifically in relation to its opening hours.
The council has made significant investments into library buildings in recent years to make them more welcoming, accessible and user friendly.
Indeed, it remains Haringey’s plan to continue this investment in years to come for the benefit of communities across the borough.
Haringey has also maintained some of the longest opening hours in London and protected them from cuts, despite long years of austerity from central government.
However, due to severe constraints on council funding nationally, Haringey is unable to sustain the libraries’ current operating model and is therefore consulting residents and stakeholders on a range of options to vary library service hours.
Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Emily Arkell, said:
We are proud of our libraries and remain committed to keeping all nine of them open.
We recognise the importance of our libraries as active and vibrant community hubs, and we love and value them just as much as our residents do.
We have invested heavily in our library buildings to make them even more accessible and attractive spaces in recent years and we’ll continue to spend £3.5m on these settings each year.
This process will be challenging and tough at times, but we are excited for what’s to come.
We’re looking forward to working with our library users, residents and stakeholders on how we can best shape this provision together for the benefit of everyone in our borough.
Initially approved as part of the Final 2024-2025 Budget at a Full Council meeting on Monday 4 March 2024, this consultation is the first phase of a wider piece of work.
The next stage, in Autumn 2024, will see the council collaborating with residents and stakeholders to co-design and co-produce a strategic vision for the future of our libraries here in Haringey.
This phase will give library users, residents and stakeholders further opportunities to share their ideas and help ensure the borough’s fantastic libraries prosper for many years to come.
In line with the Haringey Deal, the initiative sets out to tap into the strengths, knowledge, expertise and passion of local people to tackle the big challenges the borough faces.
Take part in the Libraries Service consultation over on our Commonplace site. This six-week consultation will close on Thursday 10 October 2024.
