Friends of Barham Library (FoBL) have announced plans to open a children’s reading room in a disused section of the closed branch.

The campaigners have placed a bid to take over an empty space within the site which was axed by Brent Council in 2011.

They have already submitted a bid to reopen the axed branch in the building’s card room in the building after raising more than £25,000.

FoBL, which was formed to fight the closure of Barham Library alongside five other branches in Brent, said the 30sq ft space previously used as the council’s parks department reception area has been vacant since workers moved out five years ago and is ideal as a reading room for young people.

They currently run two volunteer-lead libraries in High Road, Wembley, and Sudbury Town tube station.

Paul Lorber, an ex-council leader and former Sudbury councillor, said: “We have fantastic local support which has enabled us to keep going and to run two volunteer Libraries for around three years.

“We have shown our ability to get things done and we now want to make the best possible use of the empty parts of the Barham Park buildings to expand our library and educational service to the local community.”

The proposed children’s library is visible and accessible from Harrow Road, includes a small car park and is also served by a number of local buses.

For more information about FoBL including the opening times of their volunteer-run libraries visit barhamlibrary.wordpress.com.