 Spreads from the South Oxhey Book have been installed in the new library | In 2008 the Green Heart Partnership developed and delivered an extensive and creative community consultation excercise using the PerceptionAREA metholdogy which would inform the major redevelopment of the Oxhey Library in Watford. The South Oxhey Library Book is the outcome of the work of international artist team Simon Grennan and Chris Sperandio, known as the Kartoon Kings, who worked with local residents in South Oxhey to discover what their ideal library service would be like. Meeting with a wide range of groups and inviduals throughout the community and asking them "what could a library be to you?" they gathered a range of perceptions which focused on how the local community would use the new facility. These thoughts, comments, ideas and aspirations were designed into a a beautiful hardcover book that was delivered to every house in the area and which can now be borrowed from the library, while the information was used by Hertforshire County Council and the architects to develop a new state of the art community library.
A year later, the newly renovated and expanded Oxhey Library was launched in October 2009. Councillor Keith Emsall opened the celebrations by welcoming all not only to a new library, but to what has become a new community centre. From the PerceptionAREA consultation work developed by the Kartoon Kings and the community, it was clear that what residents wanted from a library was more to do and borrow. The redeveloped library now holds a number of community programmes including baby and todler groups, computer courses, homework clubs, job clubs, support groups, volunteer advice centre and reading groups. | 
