MP candidate Alan Mak visits Emsworth Library after leading campaign to save it from closure

He dropped into the Saturday morning Construction Club, where children and parents were busy creating objects from an assortment of coloured plastic bricks.

The library at Emsworth Community Centre is a real community hub. Construction Club is every first and third Saturday of the month, while there are also baby and toddler play groups, craft activities, a Games Club and Rhymetime sessions for very young children.

There's a dedicated room for a children’s library, access to free Wi-Fi and bookable public computers as well as a good selection of books, magazines and audiobooks for loan. Other services include printing and copying.

Mr Mak, who is standing for re-election in the Havant seat he has held since 2015, opened the relocated library in 2020 after leading a successful campaign to save it. He recently went back to see how the library has settled into its new surroundings.

It moved from its original site in the town centre to the Emsworth Community Centre on North Street after Hampshire County Council had earmarked it for closure.

A consultation by the Council included it as one of 10 around the county to be under threat, because of the high rental costs of the building.

Mr Mak wrote letters to HCC, responded to the consultation and met Cllr Sean Woodward, then HCC Cabinet Member with responsibility for libraries, to lobby him on behalf of residents.

Following the campaign by Mr Mak, working with local councillors and the community, the decision was made to save the library and move it into rented space at the Community Centre.

Under the leadership of Rose Redman, Library Team Manager for Emsworth and Hayling Island libraries, it has continued to be a valuable local resource.

The busiest month is July, with 2,007 visits and 2,790 issues in 2023. The most borrowed children’s authors are Lauren Holloway and Daisy Meadows, while for adults it’s M C Beaton and Ann Cleeves (crime fiction).

Mr Mak said: “It was great to visit Emsworth Library and see how it is being used and enjoyed by the local community.

"I was delighted to be able to help ensure it stayed open by relocating it to the Community Centre and I look forward to the library continuing to be well-used in the future."