Bridging the divide
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has a population of 215,000 and almost half of its residents come from non-white backgrounds. The borough is characterised by a rich ethnic diversity and by two extremes: on one hand it’s the fourth most deprived area in the UK, with unemployment at 22 per cent and low levels of literacy and numeracy; on the other, it’s home to the thriving Docklands area, with its high concentration of media and financial services companies and luxury waterside apartments.
Community consultation
The council recognised the vital role that libraries can play in encouraging lifelong learning and breaking down cultural, social and economic boundaries but its library buildings were out-of-date, unwelcoming and often in inconvenient locations. As a result, only 20 per cent of Tower Hamlets residents were using their local library facilities.
Bright colours create a stimulating environment
Tower Hamlets Council carried out a major consultation exercise to find out what the community wanted from its library and learning services. As well as new buildings, modern technology and increased stock, the most important thing for many people was for libraries to be much more convenient to visit, with more central locations and longer opening hours. People also wanted to see education services being delivered within libraries. These findings fed into a combined Library and Lifelong Learning Development Strategy for Tower Hamlets and the creation of the Idea Store concept.
Topics associated with this project
Cohesion, Education, London, Private sector