Help us to celebrate 100 years of Wokingham Library

Wokingham Borough Council is inviting residents to mark the 100th anniversary of Wokingham Library by taking part in a charity coffee morning.

The celebration will be held at the library, part of the Carnival Hub in Wokingham, on Thursday 5 September from 10am to 11.30am.

The council’s libraries service will be looking back on a century of serving the community and the history of the library, which has had four different homes.

The coffee morning will be raising money for SHARE Wokingham, which redistributes food to those in need that would otherwise go to waste. The coffee morning will be attended by Borough Mayor Cllr Adrian Mather and Town Mayor Cllr Rob Comber.

Cllr Rachel Bishop-Firth, executive member for resident services, inclusion and fighting poverty, said: “I am very excited to be attending the 100th birthday party for Wokingham Library. All our libraries are fantastic resources for the community, providing safe spaces where residents can get the help they need.

“Wokingham Library has had lots of different homes over the years, but only moved to the Carnival Hub two years ago and it has already proven to be a brilliant addition to our library offer in the borough. No celebration of this kind would be possible without looking back to thank all of the dedicated staff and volunteers who have contributed to the success of the library, past and present.”

History of Wokingham Library

The first iteration of the town's library opened in the former Bank Room of Wokingham Town Hall, which is now the Jubilee Room, on 5 September 1924. It was initially open for just two hours per week.

The library moved to Montague House in May 1951, allowing for an expanded service. It was open for ten hours a week and had more than 4,500 registered readers in the first year.

A decision was taken in 1994 to build a larger library at the former G.K. Motors site on the corner of Denmark Street and Langborough Road. This was a joint venture, funded by Berkshire County Council, Wokingham District Council and Wokingham Town Council. The new library was officially opened in October 1996.

The new library at the Carnival Hub opened on 20 September 2022. It was due to open a day earlier, but this was delayed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Helping all residents with their needs

The libraries in Wokingham Borough are about so much more than the books they hold. In addition to regular events for children and adults, libraries are a meeting place for many groups and local charities.

Wokingham Library will also be host to a number of events for the seventh edition of the Wokingham Children’s Book Festival, which takes place on the weekend of 19 and 20 October.

Libraries also provide a place for residents to find out more about technology and get help through regular advice sessions. Free digital skills sessions provide personalised help with phones, tablets, laptops and more in a supportive environment and are held at:

• Woodley Library: Every first Monday and Thursday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am
• Lower Earley Library: Every second Tuesday and fourth Monday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am
• Twyford Library: Every first Friday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am
• Finchampstead Library: Every second Friday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am

The charity AbilityNet holds advice sessions at Lower Earley Library on the fourth Friday of the month from 10am to 11.30am.

Advice on how to get the most out of the NHS app is available at Wokingham Library on the fourth Monday of the month from 3.30pm to 4.30pm.