Rushden stock of library books is trebled

Rushden public library which has tripled its bookshelves in fifty years, reaches its jubilee today.

When the library was opened on November 25th, 1905, the authorities appeared to have had every possible mishap catered for by including in the procession through the town the local fire brigade and ambulance men.

Guest of honour was the Marques of Northampton, who had been invited to declare the library open, and others taking part in the procession and the ceremony were members and officials of the urban council, the library committee, school teachers and managers, clergy and representatives of neighbouring local authorities.

It Was Damp

The “carnival appearance” presented by the town in the morning, when flags and decorations were put out by local traders and householders, was rather marred by the rain which fell before the proceedings opened – leaving the bunting rather bedraggled – but although the weather remained dull, the rain ceased in time for the procession and opening ceremony to proceed as planned.

The Marques, opening the library, paid tribute to Rushden’s progress from village to town, and congratulated the local council on catering, not only for the physical needs of the inhabitants, but also for the mind.

Lord Northampton was presented with an inscribed silver key, with which he performed the ceremonial opening, by the architect, Mr. W. B. Madin, who was surveyor to Rushden Urban Council.

The library was the outcome of three years’ work and preparation, and was made possible by the gift of £2,500 to the town by Mr. Andrew Carnegie on condition that the town would provide the site and adopt the Free Libraries Act.

Originally, it was to have been erected on the Green, and Mr. Carnegie offered £2,000 for a library on this site, but it was later decided that this site was not big enough. Another was obtained, and Mr. Carnegie increased his gift by £500.

For 6,500 Books

A description of the building, published at the time of its opening, stated:-

“The new building possesses a news room, magazine room, ladies’ reading room, lending library, reference library, librarian’s office, book store and lavatories, and presents a neat and attractive appearance. The front elevation to Newton Road is designed in the Renaissance style of architecture. It is built of best dark Ibstock pressed bricks, with Ketton stone facings. Standing back from the road, it is separated from the footpath by a low brick wall, surmounted with a neat ramped wrought iron fence.

“At the front entrance, which is centrally situated, two large Doric columns give an appearance of strength, while the four large windows on each side, divided by three-quarter Doric columns, suggest ample light. The columns are surmounted by a stone architrave, frieze and cornice, on the top of which comes a stone balustrade.

“In the centre, over the entrance, is a stone gable with an ornamental finial, the panel in the gable being carved and bearing the words ‘The Carnegie Library’”.

The library was equipped with oak book stands capable of holding 6,500 volumes.

The dinner which followed the opening appears to have been a long one, and the organisers again made sure that nothing was missing in a toast list which included “The Bishops and Clergy and Ministers of all denominations.” “The Defensive Forces of the Empire, Mr. Carnegie, The committee and success to the Rushden Free Library, The architect and builder, The town and trade of Rushden, The Visitors and The Chairman.”

Not only did all these speeches have one, and in some cases two replies, but songs and other musical items were performed between each toast.

The first “snag” to crop up in connection with the library was the question of betting news in the papers to be provided in the news room. Petitions from thirty organisations in the town were forwarded to the urban council by the library committee asking that the betting news should be “blacked out.”

After considerable discussion at the monthly meeting of the council, a fortnight after the opening of the library, it was proposed and seconded that the betting news should be blacked out. An amendment for the committee to consider the question and report if the need arose was carried with three dissentients.

The jubilee is being marked at the library by a small exhibition of mementoes of the opening, including newspaper cuttings, a menu of the dinner, and an exhibition of some of the library’s newest books.

Today the library has a stock of 17,850 books, of which 3,129 are juveniles. Every three months a further 500 books, approximately, are put into stock.

Membership of the library at September 30 was 4,160, of whom 814 were juvenile members. The number of books issued during the last quarter was 21,986, of which a large proportion was fiction.

Reading Tastes

Even so, says Mrs. B. V. Weaving the librarian, non-fiction books are becoming more popular, and of these the greatest demand is for practical books on painting, decorating, needlework, knitting and even keeping animals. Other non-fiction books in favour with the Rushden reading public are travel books and biographies.

Reading tastes have, over the years, become more serious, and there is also a marked tendency among members to ask for what they want more than in previous years. Members of the public read Press reviews, and then go to the library knowing in advance the books they would like to read.

Juvenile reading is on the increase. The library had 2,616 juvenile fiction books taken out during the last quarter – against 2,384 in the corresponding period last year. Non-fiction issues also showed an increase from 886 to 971.

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