Campaigners who were successful in ensuring a library in Micklefield remained open will celebrate the start of a new chapter next week after it was confirmed it would continue to be run by Buckinghamshire County Council.

In 2006 the Micklefield Library had its funding cut and four residents formed charitable company Micklefield Matters, alongside Councillor Julia Wassell, to maintain the library services.

The facility was then refurbished and re-opened in 2009 after a successful Lottery funding bid, in partnership with BCC.

Following the announcement, Matt Knight – who is now a Wycombe District Councillor for Micklefield – said the group are due to launch a ‘Love Micklefield Library’ campaign to highlight the success and achievement of the community.

Dave Cannings, who was the Chair of Micklefield Matters, said: “With the library going from strength to strength over the last five years it is fast becoming the cultural hub that Micklefield Matters dreamed of.

“It proves that people still value a public service that knits together a community. It is therefore incumbent on the council to properly fund and cherish such a valuable public resource.”

While residents fought to keep the library open in 2006, The Bucks Free Press and then sister paper Midweek also campaigned to save the community facility.

Cllr Knight, Chair of Friends of Micklefield Library, added: “The library is fortunate to have the support of local residents and county councillor Julia Wassell who has been so proactive in ensuring that Micklefield Library remains a well-resourced County Library.”

The team will also be holding an event with the wider Friends of Micklefield Library group to update supporters of future plans.

Chris Turner said, “We never take the library for granted after the battle we had and we want to make sure people who are new to the area and young people know of the facilities.”