Croydon Council has announced that South Norwood Library (and four others across Croydon) could soon be closed. In a bid to solve a £67 million gap in the budget the council is set to make a series of cuts across the council.

This would mean the current library would close and the new library would never open. This decision could be made very quickly – by January 2021 – so this is the time to make our voices heard and fight the closure of our library. 

We believe that every child deserves to discover books, access the internet and have a place to do their homework. 

South Norwood has double the average number of people who identify as Black/African/Caribbean/Black British compared to the average in Croydon. That means the closure of this library disadvantages black lives.

Libraries will play an essential part in local recovery after Covid - supporting job seekers and young learners and combatting the harmful effects of isolation with a safe, local space. This would be the worst time time to lose such a valuable asset.

We know that if every member of our community loses free access to books, digital technology and library events, South Norwood will be much poorer for it. Some things are worth more than money.