Flooding & Community Impact

North Kensington Library: A Central Hub

The library is an important part of the community.  

We caught up with Fiona Monks, the Library Manager at North Kensington Library, about the terrible impact surface water flooding had in 2021.

Used as an event space for many communities, by locals for internet access, as a study space and of course, for lending books.  

Hosting many events, this vibrant space brings together young people, families, many communities and organisations. From health drop-in sessions and small business information events to hubs for organisations to meet. The library plays an essential role in the local community, with many reliant upon the space each week.

The Aftermath  

Flooding affected the community, children and staff.

The worst impacted area was the children's library, which was closed for weeks whilst repairs were undertaken.  

Fiona explained "lots of people rely on library services", particularly the Children's Library which was the worst impacted area, sharing "it is a big thing, to have kids' library out of action". 

Damages to carpets, vinyl, skirting boards and walls meant remedies, repainting and replacements were needed. Dehumidifiers were used to dry out badly affected areas and latex put down before new carpet re-laid. 

One of the greatest impacts was to the lift. Water ingress meant this was out of action for over a year before being replaced. Impacting those with mobility issues who were then unable to access the library.  

For staff, flooding like this provided a stressful environment with lots of unknowns and the uncertainty of when something like this might happen again.