Latest news with #communitylibrary
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Options for Isle of Man Family Library future to be explored
Options for the future running of services at a community library under threat of closure over funding are set to be brought forward in directors of the Isle of Man's Family Library have said the facility will shut on 31 July due to expected annual losses of £100,000, as a result of rising costs and declining response, Tynwald members supported Treasury Minister Alex Allinson's proposal for the Council of Ministers to work with the directors to understand its financial situation, and explore options to save told politicians an urgent meeting with the library's directors had been scheduled for 30 June. Welcoming the move, a spokesman for the facility said he had been "encouraged by the growing recognition among local politicians of the library's value and the urgent need for a sustainable funding model".However, he said it would be "irresponsible for us to continue beyond 31 July without being able to guarantee the necessary funding to operate for the following 12 months".With government funding for the facility, which has being provided on a sliding scale since 2021, is set to end in of the community facility have backed volunteer group the Friends of the Family Library in its campaign to protect the services, which has raised about £6,000. Based on Westmoreland Road in Douglas, the Family Library offers activities to young people, schools and adults as well as operating a mobile library in rural areas and a home service for those who are service has been run as an independent charity since full funding was pulled by the Department of Education in 2011 in response to a reduction in the island's VAT income. 'Rare institution' At the June sitting of the Manx parliament, Joney Faragher MHK asked politicians to support taking "urgent steps to prevent the closure" and develop a "sustainable funding proposal to secure its long-term future".She described the the Family Library as "one of those rare institutions that prevents larger costlier social problems down the line", a sentiment that was supported by several other Kate Lord-Brennan MHK argued "definite questions" should be asked about how the service had been run, and said there was a danger of a "precedent being set" on government support for organisations that operated "on a charitable level".During the debate Lawrie Hooper MHK argued Allinson's amendment did not provide "any certainty that we are going to end up with something that solves the problem".But members ultimately supported the treasury minister's proposal for the Council of Ministers to work with the charity to consider available options, after getting an understanding its financial position.A library spokesman said "all aspects of our operation, from a financial and organisational perspective, are fully transparent and in the public domain".He said he hoped the information would aim politicians "to better understand" the charity's directors would support the process "in any way we can", he added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Grand opening of community-led Rockrimmon Library
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Rockrimmon independent community library held its grand opening on Saturday, May 10, welcoming the community with open arms. The celebration comes after the original library closed its doors at the end of 2024, and since then, dedicated volunteers have worked to bring the beloved neighborhood library back to life. The new location is just across the street from the former building, it's run out of Christ King Lutheran Church, and is completely volunteer-run from a local non-profit, Colorado Springs Reads. It was born out of local determination and love for literacy after the sudden closure of the former library. People gathered to celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, guest speakers from the city council, music, and more. 'This is what community looks like, coming out here and supporting each other and seeing a need and filling it, it really is amazing,' said Veronica Baker, the Vice President of Colorado Springs Reads. The new Rockrimmon independent community library is not affiliated with the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD), as the name implies, it is an independent volunteer spot for local readers. 'I don't think we're confusing anybody by trying to be a, you know, a standout competitor with PPLD. I feel like we're just trying to give our community what they've always had and what we no longer have,' said Baker. Book lovers say the closure of the former location left a significant void in the community, one community member said she was 'dumbfounded,' and 'couldn't think for a week,' when she heard about the closure. During the fight to save the original library, people protested, created fundraising efforts, and there was even a lawsuit. 'My sons and I were the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, and when we lost the library, we lost a big place for my kids with disabilities to practice being a part of the community,' said Baker. Baker says she is hoping that the new interim library can be a safe space for her children going forward. 'It got to the point where we realized that they were not going to work with us at all, and they still closed the library, and we still wanted this library…. and because of that, we decided to fill the void ourselves, so we did,' said Karla Powers the President of Colorado Springs Reads. It took volunteers only five months to raise enough money, gather enough book donations, and find the new location. 'This community has given so many incredibly quality books that when we decided to hold a donation day, we thought we'd be doing three after the first day, we had to stop, we had enough already,' said Powers. She says the name of the new location is still evolving, but for now, they are calling it The Rockrimmon Interim Library. To donate to the new library, click here. 'It just reinforces what we already know about this community: we support each other here, we are a kind group, we're a respectful group, and we deserve a library. We had a library, and we deserve a library, and now we did it ourselves,' said Powers. Colorado Springs Reads says their mission is to offer a safe space for neighbors to gather and, of course, check out books. 'We're still here, we're still fighting and we're still trying to provide a need for support, we're still trying to meet that need for you here,' said Baker. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
