Mitcham Library
Encyclopedia
Mitcham Library is a public library
in Mitcham
, England
, being one of the libraries of the London Borough of Merton
. It was built in 1933 on land donated by a local builder, Mr Joseph Owen. In April 1932 he donated £4,025 towards its construction.
The original building was 60 feet (18.3 m) wide and 66 feet (20.1 m) long, and was built on the London Road in Mitcham, opposite the Holborn Schools. The reference library itself was 36 feet (11 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m), and the lending library 66 by 25 feet (7.6 m). Multi-coloured brick with stone facings was used throughout. Over the main entrance are the words, "Mitcham Public Library", neatly carved in the stonework, with stone cornice. Three steps lead to the approach, and a pillar is placed on either side of the entrance. The doors of the library were of Austrian oak. On the left hand side of the vestibule was the newspaper room, 20 feet (6.1 m) by 17 feet (5.2 m).
The initial stock of the library consisted of: lending department, 10,000 volumes costing £2,250; reference department, 1,500 volumes costing £750; junior department, 1,000 volumes costing £200.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in Mitcham
Mitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, being one of the libraries of the London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
. It was built in 1933 on land donated by a local builder, Mr Joseph Owen. In April 1932 he donated £4,025 towards its construction.
The original building was 60 feet (18.3 m) wide and 66 feet (20.1 m) long, and was built on the London Road in Mitcham, opposite the Holborn Schools. The reference library itself was 36 feet (11 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m), and the lending library 66 by 25 feet (7.6 m). Multi-coloured brick with stone facings was used throughout. Over the main entrance are the words, "Mitcham Public Library", neatly carved in the stonework, with stone cornice. Three steps lead to the approach, and a pillar is placed on either side of the entrance. The doors of the library were of Austrian oak. On the left hand side of the vestibule was the newspaper room, 20 feet (6.1 m) by 17 feet (5.2 m).
The initial stock of the library consisted of: lending department, 10,000 volumes costing £2,250; reference department, 1,500 volumes costing £750; junior department, 1,000 volumes costing £200.