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Mark Twain Museum urges reopening of Kensal Rise

01.01.70 | Benedicte Page

Calls for Kensal Rise Library to be reopened have spread internationally, with staff at the Mark Twain House and Museum in the US writing a passionate letter to Brent Council.

Jacques Lamarre, the director of communications at the museum dedicated to Twain in Hartford, Connecticut, has written to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, culture minister Ed Vaizey and Brent council members, urging them to save the institution.

The American writer attended the opening of the library in 1900 and donated five books to its collection.

Mr Lamarre said: “I would heartily encourage you in your decision-making roles to reconsider the closure of libraries and find the means to reopen ones like Kensal Rise that may have already found themselves on the chopping block.

“What you are losing in a library cannot be replaced in a community. You are leaving a legacy, much as Twain left a legacy of 5 books when he helped dedicate Kensal Rise’s library.”

The library was shut last year, and emptied of all its books this May.

• Joshua Farrington
• Kensal Rise
• libraries
• Mark Twain