Library friends heartened

THE Lewes Library Friends say they are greatly heartened by the candour of Cllr Daphne Bagshawe s response in the Express last week to their Let s Build It campaign which seeks to secure a new library for Lewes.

And they added that they echoed her words that 'between us all we may yet succeed . Said Friends chairman Joy Preston: 'Our many members and supporters understand the council faces difficult decisions but providing finance for the statutory parts of the library is, and must remain, its responsibility.

'We continue to deplore the refusal to restore the library to the previous priority which it had waited so long to achieve.

'If the council will commit to providing a new library, we believe we would then be able to help by raising funds ourselves. These would help to achieve the "gold standard" for which, Councillor Bagshawe said, external funding would be needed.

'This would help to make the new library a true cultural and educational centre for many thousands living in a wide area around Lewes, as well as for the town s residents.

'It may sometimes be forgotten that the Lewes book and music libraries are county-wide facilities. One-third of those who use them live outside the town.

'If we have an assurance from the council that raising funds ourselves will ensure that the new library will go ahead, we are ready and willing to do so.

She said any money raised would be in addition to the substantial outside grants that have already been promised. These include 550,000 from the Arts Council towards the regional literature centre which will be housed in the new library.