Season of goodwill activities include a Dickens reading session and carol singing

Despite the recent cold weather and long nights the borough’s library campaigners were out in force to spread festive cheer this week.Members of the Preston Library Campaign, took up residence in Preston Community Library, a temporary reading room in Preston Road, Wembley, for a Charles Dickens reading session.

The building is one of many pop-up libraries that have sprouted across the borough since the council shut half the libraries last year.

In Kensal Rise, members of the Friends of Kensal Rise (FOKR) gathered outside their pop-up library and children’s area in Bathurst Gardens for a carol singing session.

They have been given a fresh proposal by the former library building’s owners, All Souls College in Oxford.

A space of around 1,500sq ft has been offered to them in their former home to run a community library from, the rest will be sold and will be turned into flats.

However, the building was recently named as a ‘Community Asset’ by Brent Council, meaning it could stall a sell off to a developer.

Margaret Bailey, a member of FOKR said: “The Carols outside the Kensal Rise Pop Up library were an opportunity for the community to celebrate the festive season and also our commitment to saving our library.

“December is the beginning of the third year of the campaign. We hope the New Year brings with it a positive resolution and more generous terms for this community from All Souls College in Oxford.”

Meanwhile in Willesden members of the Keep Willesden Green group, who are fighting against the proposals to tear down and rebuild Willesden Green Library Centre also gathered on the square outside the library for a carol singing session.

The square is currently subject to a bid to become a ‘Town Square’ and a Public Enquiry into the application has been adjourned until February 2013.