Here in Haringey, we’re proud to have made a commitment to each of our nine local libraries. We know the special part they play at the heart of the borough’s communities, and we share residents’ enthusiasm for their libraries.
Unlike many parts of the country where libraries have been closed down, opening hours slashed and services stripped to the bone, we’ve continued to support and invest in libraries in Haringey, including through new stock, better technology and physical improvements to buildings.
We want to safeguard libraries for the future, ensuring that they continue to offer the facilities and activities that local people want to see so that visitor numbers don’t dwindle.
Contrary to recent rumours on social media, we’ve not removed any of our children’s librarians. Across libraries and customer services, we employ staff with a range of different skills and specialisms, including some who have a focus on children’s provision – from buying books to story-telling.
Last year, in order to adapt to existing and future challenges we introduced new universal job titles for staff in libraries and customer services. We’re delighted that all of our dedicated children’s librarians have stayed working in Haringey and they continue to look after children’s provision as well as some general library admin tasks, just like before.
At each of Haringey’s three main library sites – Hornsey, Wood Green and Marcus Garvey – there are still staff dedicated to children’s library services, and we also have a dedicated officer responsible for children’s stock.
Local libraries also have arrangements in place for children’s provision and, in addition to retaining all of our children’s specialists, other staff have enjoyed training for activities such as story-telling, so that there are more people on hand to support popular children’s activities.
More information about Haringey’s libraries, including full listings of all the fun children’s activities on offer, can be found here on our dedicated libraries pages.
Cllr Bernice Vanier, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Culture.