Reading Central Library
Encyclopedia
Reading Central Library is a public library
in the town of Reading
, in the English
county of Berkshire
.
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.
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.
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 the town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, in the English
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...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
History
From 1882, the main library was in the Town Hall. However as early as World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
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.
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
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
stables where the horses of medieval churchmen, nobility and royalty were stabled. It is also very near the old Abbey gateway, where Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
went to school, and which is the ancestor of the current Abbey School
The Abbey School
The Abbey School is an independent selective day school for girls, in Reading, Berkshire, England. The school has Church of England traditions, although it accepts girls of all faiths...
. Reading Central Library is a four storey red brick building based on traditional Reading brick designs. The Holy Brook
Holy Brook
The Holy Brook is a channel of the River Kennet in the vicinity of the English town of Reading, Berkshire. While of considerable historical significance, the origin and nature of the brook is still unclear...
runs underneath the Library and it is near The Oracle
The Oracle, Reading
The Oracle is a large indoor shopping and leisure mall, located on the banks of the River Kennet on the site of a 17th century workhouse of the same name in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire...
to the south west and to the north lies the beautiful Forbury Gardens
Forbury Gardens
Forbury Gardens is a public park in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. The park is on the site of the outer court of Reading Abbey, which was in front of the Abbey Church. The site was formerly known as the Forbury, and one of the roads flanking the current gardens is still...
.
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
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, as well as a family history
Family history
Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
section. Special collections include books and letters by local author Mary Russell Mitford
Mary Russell Mitford
Mary Russell Mitford , was an English author and dramatist. She was born at Alresford, Hampshire. Her place in English literature is as the author of Our Village...
and local MP, judge and author Thomas Noon Talfourd
Thomas Noon Talfourd
Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd, SL , was an English judge and author.The son of a well-to-do brewer, he was born at Reading, Berkshire ....
.
Books in the library are generally ordered by Dewey Decimal Classification
Dewey Decimal Classification
Dewey Decimal Classification, is a proprietary system of library classification developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876.It has been greatly modified and expanded through 23 major revisions, the most recent in 2011...
, though the Local Studies collection has its own library classification
Library classification
A library classification is a system of coding and organizing documents or library materials according to their subject and allocating a call number to that information resource...
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.