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Country: England

Contact: Carolyn Dineen. Email: carolyn.dineen@gll.org

Description: Wandsworth Town Library is a city centre branch of Wandsworth Libraries, an 11-branch public library system in South West London. Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) is currently contracted by Wandsworth Borough Council to run the service. We are located in a historical listed building over two floors, with lending collections for adults, children, and teens, as well as study space and computer use. We regularly run events and activities for a broad spectrum of customers. We have a higher proportion of young professionals (30-44 years) than the rest of the borough, and less deprivation, though it still exists, and many residents from low income backgrounds make up our regular users. We have strong relationships with local groups, organisations, and schools, and often run events in collaboration. Our services are currently focused on strengthening these links to aid in post-Covid regeneration of the area and its communities. The Covid-19 lockdowns has also prompted us to strengthen our online offering, including live and recorded events via Facebook and YouTube. We would enjoy the opportunity to explore international collaboration online as well. In 2022, the library service is moving to a new building, with plans for more and more flexible event and community spaces, and a stronger business and educational support offer, while delivering on the Borough's green agenda. We will be located at the bottom of a new residential complex, and are excited for the opportunities the new influx of residents will provide. We have a great many residents from Europe and abroad. Participating in a sister library programme would help us learn more about the library profession and better serve our diverse communities.

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Type of library: Library service with branch libraries

Population served: Between 10.000 and 100.000

Current library programs:
  • Activities for children and young adults
  • Activities for migrants
  • Activities for seniors
  • Activities in cooperation with other organizations
  • Art promotion
  • Book presentations (also meeting with authors)
  • Celebration of ephemeris (Day of the library
  • Culture promotion
  • Digitalization and Preservation
  • Exhibitions
  • Health Literacy (healthcare workshops…)
  • Language courses (and other activities for language learning)
  • Library services for people with special needs
  • Lifelong Learning programs
  • Literacy
  • Literary workshops
  • Local culture (local heritage)
  • Music
  • Reading clubs (Book clubs)
  • Reading promotion
  • Science Literacy
  • Storytelling
  • Technology Literacy (Digital Literacy)
  • Unemployment
Activities you want to do with your sister library:
  • Activities for children and young adults
  • Activities for seniors
  • Celebration of ephemeris
  • Cooperation with other organizations
  • Digital Literacy
  • Digitalization and Preservation
  • e-Reading
  • Exchange of ideas and expertise
  • Exchange of information
  • Exchange of resources
  • Exhibitions
  • Information Literacy programs
  • Joint conferences and seminars
  • Joint publications
  • Library services for people with special needs
  • Lifelong Learning programs
  • Literacies (non-formal education)
  • Planning of new library building
  • Professional visits
  • Promotion of local culture
  • Promotion of multiculturalism and multilingualism
  • Reading clubs
  • Reading promotion
  • Social media
  • Staff interchange
  • Staff training
  • Storytelling
  • Volunteer programs

Languages spoken by staff: English, Polish, Hindi, Gujarati, German

Languages spoken by patrons: English, Portuguese, Polish, Urdu

Preferred countries for cooperation: Portugal, Poland, any

Searching partners for European program: Yes

Participating in any European Union program: No