Reading Borough Libraries

Reading Borough Libraries are responsible for public library provision in the English town of Reading, Berkshire.

History

Despite the Public Libraries Act 1850 it was not until the 1870s that serious thought was given to the creation of a free public library in Reading. Reading Borough Council could not agree to raise the rate necessary to fund a library and as a result in 1875 William Isaac Palmer, of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit firm decided to personally fund the setting up and running of a Free Library in West Street. This proved very popular and managed to win over opponents of free libraries, leading to the adoption of the Public Libraries Act in Reading in 1877 and the beginning of the library service. While the contents of Reading Free Library were donated by Palmer to the borough, it was decided that a new building was needed. A new library was included in the plans drawn up in 1879 for an extension to the Town Hall which would also include the new Museum of Reading. This new Library opened in October 1882 and soon proved very popular.

In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, responsibility for library services was transferred to Berkshire County Council, which was itself abolished in 1996 as part of a local government reform, and the functions returned to the borough council.

Gradually library provision extended throughout Reading with the building of more libraries in other parts of the town. Today the library service has 7 branches and also runs the library service in Reading Remand Centre.

Reading Central Library

From 1882 the main library was in the Town Hall. However as early as World War I complaints were being made there was insufficient space for books and readers. It was only in 1982 that plans started being laid for a new central library in Reading, and building starting in 1984. This new building was opened in 1985 by HRH the Duke of Gloucester. The central library is in the heart of Reading on Abbey Square on the corner of the King's Road, on the former site of the Reading Abbey stables where the horses of medieval churchmen, nobility and royalty were stabled. It is also very near the old Abbey gateway, where Jane Austen went to school, and which is the ancestor of the current Abbey School. Reading Central Library is a four storey red brick building based on traditional Reading brick designs. The Holy Brook runs underneath the Library and it is near The Oracle to the south west and to the north lies the beautiful Forbury Gardens.

The Central Library contains over 100,000 books including a children’s library, a large selection of fiction and non fiction books, and free Internet terminals provided as part of The People's Network. It also provides loans of CDs, DVDs, and videos for which there is a small charge and also has a large collection of vocal and drama sets on the second floor. The Third floor contains the Reading Local Studies Library which has large collections of books, photographs, maps and newspapers relating to the history of Reading and Berkshire, as well as a family history section. Special collections include books and letters by local author Mary Russell Mitford and local MP, judge and author Thomas Noon Talfourd.

Books in the library are generally ordered by Dewey Decimal Classification, though the Local Studies collection has its own library classification system. The online library catalogue which includes a selection of digitised Local Studies photographs can be found on the library website. It is run by a team of qualified librarians with the support of library assistants with the aim of providing good library services to the people of Reading.

The library is open to the public, and opening hours can be found on the Reading Libraries website (see 'External links').

External links

* [http://www.readinglibraries.org.uk/ Reading Libraries website]

References

*Reading Borough Libraries (2005). [http://www.readinglibraries.org.uk/ Reading Borough Libraries] . Retrieved August 12, 2005.