All posts by Friends of Carnegie Library

Zahra Barri

Author Event

Tuesday evening, 11 March - 7:00 pm (6:30 for tea & cakes)

Daughters of the Nile

Zahra Barri

She Comedies, she Writes novels, she PhDs, she Voiceovers, she Presents, she Blogs, she Acts, She's turning into her mother....

Daughters of the Nile follows the lives of three women from the Bin-Khalid family. These women are no strangers to adversity, but they must learn from the past and relearn shame and shamelessness to radically change their futures.

The novel was winner of the Unbound Firsts award and covers several generations of women from 1940 to the early 21st century in a variety of settings, with themes including feminism, queerness, revolution and Islamic sisterhood.

Author and comedian Zahra Barri will be with us at The Carnegie Library on 11 March, Tuesday evening, to discuss her award winning novel Daughters of the Nile.

Free admission (reserve a place on eventbrite - or walk in)

This event will be live-streamed and also available to view for a limited period on the Carnegie Library Facebook page.

Organised by the Friends of Carnegie Library in cooperation with the Lambeth Library Service.

Local Press coverage of Lambeth library cuts

News

Lambeth denies 'burying' a £1 million package of savings to libraries in 10 page spreadsheet - Robert Firth, Southwark News, 27 February 2025

More than 1,000 sign petition against library cuts of £1 million as decision is “rubber stamped” by Lambeth’s Labour cabinet – and council leader Claire Holland says: “We need to be open with residents” - News from Crystal Palance, 26 February 2025

Residents rally outside town hall against £1m cuts to library budget - London News Online, 26 February 2025

Petition launched to save Lambeth libraries from proposed 25% funding cut - Brixton Buzz, 25 February 2025

Residents rally as Lambeth Council ‘plans to slash £1m in library funding’ - Isabel Ramirez, Southwark News, 24 February 2025

Lambeth council set to axe £1 million from libraries budget – as Lib Dem councillors reveal £6.7 million spend on external consultants. In just one year. - News from Crystal Palace, 21 February 2025

LAMBETH UNDER FIRE – Plans to slash £1 million from libraries budget uncovered as new review warns council they may not be able to set a balanced budget – and anti-eviction protesters invade their town hall - News from Crystal Palace, 21 February 2025

In other news:

Lambeth Libraries in the Running for an Award - Leslie Manasseh, Brixton Blog, 20 February 2025

savelambethlibraries.uk

News

Take a Stand – Protect Our Libraries!

We heard at Lambeth’s Cabinet meeting on Monday 24th February that a 21% cut to Lambeth’s libraries budget is just fine. The Lambeth Council Cabinet expects to impose its will on The Council without debate at the next Council meeting on Wednesday 5th March.

Wednesday 5th March - 6:00 pm

Please come to the Town Hall at 6:00 pm, before that next Council meeting on Wednesday 5th March (the Council meeting starts at 7pm) and let The Councillors know that we are not OK with The Cabinet's £1 million cut to the Lambeth Library budget. (The total library budget is £4.7m and this has barely changed in 40 years.)

Don't Steal Our Libraries T-Shirts will be given out at the demo (while supplies last) to all those who support Lambeth Libraries and the Lambeth Library Service, run by professional librarians, free at point of use, as required in law:

7 General duty of library authorities.

(1) It shall be the duty of every library authority to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof, . . .

Sign the Petition Now

How many people have already signed this petition?

Over 2,530

Spread the word: No cuts to Lambeth Libraries!

Visit the Campaign website:

savelambethlibraries.uk

(We've been here before)

Library of Sanctuary

News

On 4 February the City of Sanctuary organisation recognised the work Lambeth Libraries do in supporting refugees, asylum and sanctuary seekers and we were awarded Library of Sanctuary status.

To celebrate the public libraries who go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary, we have the Libraries of Sanctuary Award.

The key criteria for the awards are:

  • Learn: find out what it means to be seeking sanctuary; and be actively involved in awareness raising.
  • Embed: take positive action to make welcome and inclusion part of the values of your organisation or community, to support sanctuary seekers and refugees, and to include them in your activities.
  • Share your vision and achievements: let others know about the positive contribution refugees make to our society and the benefits of a welcoming culture to everyone.

"This has been something we have been working towards for nearly two years so we had a library service that could support this new part of our community and welcome them to Lambeth." - Susanna Barnes - Head of Lambeth Libraries

Sign the Petition

Links

Lambeth Libraries provide a frontline service for our communities. Not only do they have computers - a necessity for everything from job applications to claiming benefits - but also a wealth of books, films, and music. 

Lambeth's library service costs almost the same as it did 40 years ago and yet is winning awards - most recently being awarded Library of Sanctuary status for its support to refugees and migrants. It is also a finalist in the British Book Awards Library of the Year. 

However they are threatened by 25% cuts. The budget has hardly risen in 40 years so they are working at the margins of their capacity, "making bricks without straw".

These reductions would greatly hamper Lambeth Library's ability to serve its local community - a place where people, myself included, have come to depend upon their services. Let's take a stand against these cuts and protect Lambeth's library service, our sanctuary, a source of enrichment and a bastion of community spirit.

Please sign this petition.

Voice your resistance, and help ensure that Lambeth Library continues to serve our community, win awards, and remain an essential hub for us all. Spread the word and support our cause: No cuts to our beloved Lambeth Library service!

Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material. Download QR Code