Story & Photo: Lisa Swift
Pye Bank Parents Group have taken a lead in campaigning for Burngreave Library to remain open and staffed.
The parents started a petition after the Council announced plans that Burngreave Library would no longer have paid workers from April. The Council proposes that only 11 out of 27 local libraries be staffed. Five others could be managed by volunteers and the rest could close in April. Burngreave is one of the five the Council would like to see run by volunteers. Parents and other local residents do not think volunteers can run the library on their own but, if a group does not come forward to run and manage it, for no money, then the library will close in April.
At the same time, the Council has a plan to move the library to a smaller space in Sorby House.
The parents’ group agreed the following wording and over 900 residents to date have put their names to it:
“We the undersigned petition the Council to Keep Burngreave Library open and staffed. “Burngreave Library is a vital resource for children studying, for residents to access the internet, and for reading materials which would otherwise be too expensive for people to afford. It is particularly important to children and the elderly who cannot easily travel to other libraries.
“In our diverse community it is a place where people can meet their neighbours from different backgrounds. As one of the areas of highest need in the City, it needs professional and experienced staff to make it a supportive and reliable service. We do not think a library run by volunteers is a sustainable option.
“We would like to see a proposal that does not set one area of Sheffield against another in a competition for Council resources.”
The Council says Burngreave Library’s running costs are only £44,500 per year at the existing building. The library is run with two part-time members of staff, with the support of a Librarian who is shared between three libraries. As the Council still plans to cover the running costs of the building or its space in Sorby House, only a small amount of money is being saved by cutting library jobs.
The Council is running a consultation process until January. Local residents are encouraged to fill in the questionnaire at the library or online before the Council makes a decision in February. The questionnaire is at http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/libraries