“Books binned from library” says worker as fears raised over future of service

Haringey Council deny libraries under threat as concern deepens

NEW doubt has been cast over the future of Haringey’s libraries after a staff member revealed that he has been ordered to throw up to three boxes of books away each day at the Muswell Hill centre.

A staff member contacted the Broadway claiming that though some books were being handed to charity shops, the “vast majority” were being chucked in the bin in a bid to make the library more manageable for fewer members of staff and therefore a cheaper operation in the face of council spending cutbacks.

The council claims it is re-arranging shelves to make for a better customer experience, and have previously ruled out any cuts being made to the borough’s library sevice.

But the worker’s revelations come hot on the heels of widely circulated rumours that four of nine Haringey libraries are under threat of closure – also strongly denied by the council.

The staff member said: “Some of the books have been given to charity, but the vast majority of the books they are withdrawing and they are going straight in the bin.

“It’s horrendous – I’m practically in tears putting them in the bin, but you have to do what you are told.”

A council spokesman said: “This is absolute and utter nonsense. We are re-arranging the shelving so we can let more daylight into the library so it’s better for library users. There are no proposals to close any of the council’s nine libraries.”

For the full story, see this week’s Ham&High Broadway