Willenhall Liberal Democrats are to launch a campaign to save the Library at “The Square” Lichfield Road, New Invention reports Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires.

Over the next few days petition forms will go out to local shops and voluntary organisations to rally support in advance of the expected decision by Walsall’s Tory Cabinet to axe smaller community libraries such as the one at New Invention.

Petition forms will also be included in the next round of the regular Liberal Democrat “Focus” newsletter due out starting this Saturday.

If anyone living in the Short Heath and New Invention areas of Willenhall would like to help distribute “Focus” in their road or would like a petition form to collect signatures from friends and neighbours, use the “Report a Problem” button on this website.

There is no doubt that there is a very real threat that community libraries like the one in New Invention will  be earmarked for closure by the Tories who have a majority on Walsall Council.

“This is not just a Save our Library from Closure campaign” said Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires. “We realise that if we are genuinely serious about stopping the threat of closure we must come up with an alternative strategy. Already moves are afoot through the Willenhall Area Partnership to look at a more cost effective way of running community libraries.”

Currently Walsall Council runs libraries like the one at New Invention on restricted operating hours, it only opens Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The rest of the week the doors remain firmly shut, No wonder use is down!

Campaigners believe that New Invention Library should be open six, maybe seven days a week at times which respond to the needs of the local community.

The facility should not just be a place where people borrow books, it should act as a resource centre for a whole raft of services and information. 

Ideas such as forming a community enterprise to run such a facility with help from local people, organisations and businesses are being actively pursued, but we need your help and enthusiasm if we are to succeed. Act now before it’s too late!