Our Humans Of Lambeth series returns for 2026 to celebrate the individuals behind the Lambeth Fringe Festival. Up first this year is Maria from Lambeth Libraries and Lambeth Archive...
“My name is Maria Kwofie, and I work in Lambeth Libraries and Archives. I'm “Performance, Development, and Venue Manager…” See how long it is?! Previously I was the Library Manager, so it was easy to say! But this is what currently I do, which means that I'm in charge of basically looking after the library venues, and also some other venues outside the remits of libraries, like Brockwell Hall, St Stephen's Chapel in West Norwood, and some rooms in the Town Hall. I've been in and out of Lambeth, but I lived here all my life.”
“It's the people that make Lambeth special. The diversity. It's very inclusive. It's so many different cultures and stuff like that. You could make a whole reality TV show just based on the people that live in Lambeth. It's very creative as well. One of the things that we do at the library is to support local artists and stuff, and the amount of work that we're seeing is phenomenal.”
“We're looking at really actively getting involved in working in partnership with various organisations like Lambeth Fringe. A building's just a building if it hasn't got people in it. If we work in partnership, we can generate money coming in, while at the same time promoting local artists and the local economy. Hopefully we'll become a regular part of Lambeth Fringe going forward. Pulling all our resources together is a very cost-effective way of doing it and investing in our libraries and our communities. Then it becomes a community.”
“To be honest with you, the library's one of the last institutions that remains all inclusive. You can't get anywhere else. It sits right in the heart of the community and has done for 100 years. People always ask me, 'What is the branding of library?' Library itself is a brand. It's open space, open access to all. It sits closely in people's heart because they affiliate themself with not just the building, but what happens in the building. Where before it would've been a quiet space library, it's now becoming a community hub. It's more like people's library. So we're not just about books. It's ideas, partnerships, beautiful activities and wonderful things that meet all needs. Because you can't get it anywhere else... It’s for everybody, from infant to maturity, and it's free.”
“The library extends itself. It’s a real social platform for people to meet and combat isolation, wellbeing, all aspects of it. As librarians we do a lot of things. Sometimes we might help people filling a funding application form, job application form, consumer information or signposting them to the right organisation, or help with housing. Libraries also work in partnership, so cost of living is one of the things that we help with in the library, NHS health checks. We work closely with GPs, with the NHS, ESOL lessons, homework clubs. We've got carers' groups, bereavement cafés – people who have gone through things can come and talk in privacy or within a group of people they can relate to about their experiences. We try to cater for every individual and their different needs. Just letting people know what the library offers is the most crucial point to get across really. The library has everything you need.”
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