LYMM Library is celebrating its 100th anniversary – with a series of centenary activities for all ages throughout November.
It was in 1922 that Lymm Church of England School set up a library – with their first batch of books arriving on November 6.
In 1925, the then Lymm Urban District Council agreed to set up a branch library in their rate offices – and the following year it opened with a stock 500 books. In 1948 the library was relocated to a room at the Cinema Café in Church Road.
On December 23 a part-time library assistant was taken on – a position which must been a difficult one as it was 12 months later before access to the ladies toilet at the café was negotiated for her!
In 1950 a children’s library was opened with a stock of 500 books and in 1955 the whole library moved back to the council offices. In 1961 2,000 extra books were purchased and the library applied for funding to build a branch library – apparently without success.
By 1966, the council wanted its room back but offered to relocate the library to the former church hall where it is today, following an extensive refurbishment in 1975 and more work done in the years since.
In 1997, Warrington Borough Council was formed, Lymm UDC became a parish council and all libraries in the borough were taken over by Warrington. In 2008 Lymm Library underwent internal refurbishment and extension to accommodate a Children’s Centre and Citizens Advice Bureau.
A Community Interest Trust company, LiveWire was formed in 2012 to manage all libraries across the borough, including Lymm.
Then in March 2020, the library had to close because of the COVID pandemic and, although it opened on reduced hours for a while it was not until this year that it returned to pre-Covid opening hours.
Events taking place during November to mark the centenary include:
Monday to Friday, November 7-11: Peter Rabbit crafts and library hunt 2.30-4pm every day after school.
Monday to Saturday, November 14-19: Mystery book giveaway. Go along and claim a free mystery book.
Tuesday November 15: Murder Mystery, 6.30-8pm.
Saturday November 19 and 26: Childrten’s craft sessions to make Corgis and Crowns for Christmas decorations.
Tuesday November 22: An evening with David Nolan, author of “The Ballad of Hanging Lees”
All November (during library opening hours) Hunt around the library to find clues and decipher the mystery word) All winners entered in free prize draw.
