Oxford college 'vandalised Kensal Rise library and left books outside to be destroyed'

 
“Outrage”: the protest against All Souls after the pop-up library was taken down (Pi
Alex Lentati

An Oxford college has been accused of cultural vandalism after a pop-up library was allegedly destroyed and thousands of donated books left strewn in the street.

The community hub, which included book shelves and a gazebo, was set up outside Kensal Rise Library two years ago after Brent council shut the library, and five others, to save money.

Campaigners claim that an agency working for All Souls, the college which owns the library building, dismantled the pop-up without warning, leaving books to get damp in puddles.

Witnesses said vans arrived at 11pm on Thursday last week and the demolition began at 5am on Friday.

About 100 residents staged a protest with placards on Friday afternoon.

Damp: book shelves were moved away (Picture: Alex Lentati)
(Picture: Alex Lentati)

All Souls has a financial endowment of £256 million and is the third wealthiest college in Oxford. It is understood that the former library, opened by Mark Twain in 1900 and given to the council for “educational uses”, is to be turned into flats.

Volunteer Jodianne Chen Gramigni said: “The security men told me they were acting under instructions from property agents Cluttons and All Souls College Oxford to destroy the pop-up and put the books on the pavement.”

She added: “The children were in shock and wanted to know why their library was being taken down. It was cultural vandalism.” Margaret Bailey, chairwoman of Friends of Kensal Rise Library, said: “We have learnt the lesson of the ruthlessness of those whose prime aim is to make profit.”

The college said in its contract with the developer, it has secured a condition that a certain amount of space in the building will be leased rent-free for 999 years to ensure library services once building work is completed.

In a statement, the college said: “On 31 January 2014 books which belonged to the pop-up library next to the Kensal Rise Library building were moved from the curtilage of the property onto the pavement. The books were put in containers and placed under tarpaulins alongside the other books belonging to the pop-up library.

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“The pop-up library was never entitled to use the property belonging to the library building and Brent council wrote to the college in July 2013 saying that it was in breach of planning control. The college refrained from having the books moved until obliged to do so in order to secure vacant possession of the building.”

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