120-year-old community library to be revamped

A council and its charity partners are working to keep a community library in its best condition for long term use.

Lewisham council is working with V22, a charity that runs community libraries, to protect the Sydenham library in Sydenham Road.

Opened in 1904, it was the first of five Carnegie libraries to be built in Lewisham.

V22 are keen to make some immediate improvements to keep the library in good shape. There will be a brief closure from this week until the end of July.

This phase of improvements will include upgrades to the lighting, a new service desk, upgraded PCs and repair of some of the damaged brick and plasterwork in the building.

Whilst these improvements are happening, residents will be able to return books via the drop box, or at any other Lewisham library.

There will be a limited ‘in person’ service operating at Sydenham library every Thursday morning between 10am and noon which will be an opportunity to collect reservations and talk to staff.

Sydenham Library will be open again in time for the Summer Reading Challenge to start, in what will be a brighter, lighter, and more environmentally friendly space.

Longer-term, the council and V22 are working very hard to achieve funding to restore the beautiful main entrance and to make the whole building more accessible for all.

Councillor James-J Walsh, cabinet member for libraries said: “The community library model in Lewisham has worked very well since its inception in 2012, protecting a borough wide library service and gaining national recognition for innovation.

“We are particularly proud of our beautiful and historic library at Sydenham not just for its architecture but the community and volunteers that bring it to life.

“As a council, we value the huge benefits that libraries bring, that’s why despite 1 in 5 libraries closing nationally, we have never closed a library in this borough.

“We are actively securing investment for all our libraries including Catford’s brand new library, the multi-million-pound investment in Lewisham town centre and the current improvements being made to Sydenham Library.”

Pictured top: Sydenham library in Sydenham Road (Picture: Google Street View)