Last night I had the pleasure of welcoming over twenty volunteers who have come forward to help keep our library open in Grove following the proposals made by the County Council three years ago to close all but the 'core' libraries in Oxfordshire. Many will remember the outcry by residents and the public meeting in Grove where the Friends of Grove Library group (FROGs) threw themselves back on the campaign trail. The group was reformed and began the process of trying to save this valuable service to our community. See the press story here.
Thankfully, the county backtracked on their proposals and came up with a 'community model' which meant that our branch libraries could stay open with the help of trained volunteers. We were designated a 'Community Plus' Library which meant that there would always be a member of staff on duty with every volunteer. Thankfully, in Grove, we were fortunate to have many people put themselves forward to help, and last night was a 'training event' which gave all volunteers a chance to meet one another and learn all aspects of helping in the library.
The event was a huge success and a very enjoyable occasion, as everyone was very excited about this new opportunity. We have an excellent support team of staff at the County Council who are committed to making this work, offering help and advice all along the way. Also, our active FROGs team are co-ordinating the rotas, if anyone else would like to get involved. I think this shows the community spirit we have in Grove which makes us all proud!
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