The Upper Norwood Library Hub is an exciting and vibrant start-up located in the heart of Crystal Palace in South East London that was set up to save and protect the library service for our local and the wider community. We are a social enterprise with charitable status. As well as the extensive range of activities, projects, outreach programmes and services, we are also the home to a professional library service provided by Lambeth Libraries, co-funded by Croydon Council.
Since we came into existence in July 2016, we have listen to the hopes, wants and aspirations of communities in Lambeth and Croydon and others from Bromley, Southwark and Lewisham located around the library hub. There is a rich diversity of local residents, some are from wealthier communities, whilst others are from areas which contain communities that are amongst the most financially excluded in Greater London. Some are disadvantaged by pockets of poor health, low skills and high worklessness, isolation and loneliness and health and wellbeing issues, and we want to break this cycle by supporting the realisation of the ambitions of Lambeth and Croydon and the Government in giving families the ‘best start to life in strong families and communities’.
Our offer is complex, rich and diverse - as we have a very short time to be self sustaining we are always thinking outside of the box to deliver new and innovative ways to generate funds. For example we have the UK's only Library Of Things - where you can come and borrow a power drill or indulge a hobby such as learning to play a musical instrument. We work in partnership with local entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses, for example IM Tuition, working teachers who have started their own out of school tutoring service, Disentangled Theatre Co who we worked with to stage a two week arts festival that was attended by over 1400 people in the summer.
We offer help to those in fuel poverty and via St Christopher's hospice people can come and find guidance on how to come to terms with death and dying. We have a coffee shop that offers a meeting place, expertise classes, digital inclusion, parent and baby, family activities and much much more.
We offer a place of softly and warmth to people across all ages, faiths and ethnicities - we are a home for all to come together, learn, laugh and share.
