CAMPAIGNERS are urging members of the public for donations and volunteers towards running a library due for closure.

Members of the Keep Preston Library open campaign are presenting a petition to Brent Council at a meeting this evening.

The decision to close Preston Library, in Carlton Avenue East, Wembley, along with five other libraries in the borough, was taken on Monday at an executive meeting.

The group has collected 6500 signatures and under the council’s policy if it receives more than 5000 signatures then the matter is referred to a meeting for debate.

Petition organiser Samantha Warrington said the group would be submitting plans to the council to run the library.

She said: “What we want is volunteers or donations to try and keep the campaign going and provide a proposal for the council to allow us to run the library.

“There were probably around 50 to 60 people who attended Monday’s meeting and many gave very heartfelt speeches.

“I had my children with me, aged nine and seven, as I will do tonight and they will also get to speak.

“It was a shame as it seemed their minds were made up about the decision and that it was a foregone conclusion.

“I think the consultation period was a sham as it presented it as a transformation project rather than highlighting the potential closures that would actually come out of it.

“The library is very important as apart from young people, like my children, a lot of older people go there every day."

The Library Transformation Project had a three month consultation, which ended on March 4.

Councillor James Powney, the council’s lead member for environment and cultural services, said: "The proposals put forward in Brent's libraries programme have been hard to bear for many people who understandably have concerns about closing libraries even though by doing so, our remaining more widely used libraries will be radically improved in the process.

“I am satisfied that we have been as open and transparent about our plans as possible and that we have listened and engaged with as many residents and other interested groups as possible before reaching our decision."

To join the campaign log on to Facebook and search for Save Preston Library.