Sunderland City Council

Sunderland City Council
Civic Centre
Burdon Road
Sunderland
SR2 7DN

Tel. (0191) 520 5555

Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes

Public Libraries

The 1850 Public Libraries Act was the first of a series of Acts enabling local councils to provide free public libraries funded by a levy of a 1/2d rate. It was revolutionary. For the first time, ordinary people had access to all the knowledge in the world. There was philosophy for bank clerks, literature for ladies' maids, politics for shop assistants, newspapers, encyclopaedias, poetry, text books and great literature for all - for free. Nothing's changed at your local library, we're still at the forefront of radical change. And we're still your first point of reference - whatever in world you want to discover.

1850 Public Libraries Act. For the first time books were free for everyone
1857 Braille books appeared - the first of many library initiatives for disabled people.
1859 Liverpool Library was the first to offer music scores - introducing affordable music to the masses
1880 In Blackpool, Kate Lewtas became the first woman Chief Librarian.
1882 Manchester Library opened the first Boy's Reading Room - welcoming children into libraries for the first time.
1887 Libraries evolved into community cultural centres. Swansea's new library included a museum and art gallery; offering art and science classes and free evening lectures.
1902 Leyton Public Library listed amongst its borrowers 5 Telegraphists, 3 Saddle Makers, 2 Ivory Workers and 1 Bullet maker.
1920 First mobile library launched in Perthshire.
1935 Middlesex County Library is the first to lend gramophone records.
1940 During the blitz Sheffield Library issues gas masks, ration books and clothes and provides a furniture storage service.
1946 The stereotype spinster librarian is born as Donna Reed featured in 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Other celluloid librarians include Bette Davis, Bridget Fonda, Katherine Hepburn and Goldie Hawn.
1964 'Thoughts of Chairman Mao' published. His little red book became the essential accessory for sixties radicals.
1967 The first computerised circulation system was introduced to libraries. The computer was the size of a small room.
1972 Cardiganshire Joint Library Service was the first to loan cassettes.
1995 Marylebone Input/Output Centre opened - the first library to offer public access to the Internet.
1997 Milton Keynes was Britain's busiest library with a staggering 1,210,980 items borrowed this year.
1998 A Sheffield pensioner returned his copy of 'Kidnapped' to the library - 60 years late. He still hadn't finished it.
2000 It's our anniversary! We're looking forward to celebrating another 150 years of being first.

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Community Libraries
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last updated 09/01/08

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