Bring on the books
Events with a romantic theme have marked Library Lovers’ Week this week as the county council urges people to rekindle, or begin, a love for their local library.
There are nearly 60,000 library members in Newark and Sherwood but fewer than half used the service last year.
Those who did, between them, borrowed 868,669 items — an average of 35 per person.
Many libraries, such as Newark, which marks its 20th anniversary in May, offer more than just books, with music and audio books on tape and CD, plus DVDs and videos also available.
Newark has 15 computers with internet access for public use and a café area with a coffee machine.
The local studies manager at Newark, Mr Tim Warner, said the service had changed a lot in his 14 years there.
He said: “Computers have broadened the range of customers that we have, bringing in a lot of younger people and a lot of people who want to keep in contact with friends and families across the world.
“But the core is still books — that is what we are.”
Prior to Library Lovers’ Week, staff at Newark asked townsfolk to recommend their favourite books for a display in the library.
The staff also contacted well-known figures, including the MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, and the town mayor, Mr Bryan Richardson, to ask their favourites.
Mr Mercer’s was George MacDonald Fraser’s memoirs of the second world war in Burma, Quartered Safe Out Here. Mr Richardson’s was a biography of Margaret Thatcher, entitled One Of Us, by Hugo Young.
Senior library assistant Miss Celia Kinsella said they had a good response.
She is one of 25 full and part-time staff at Newark.
One of the longest serving is Mrs Christine Greenfield, an assistant for 20 years.
She began at the former premises, the Gilstrap Centre, on Castlegate. A public library operated there for more than 100 years after the building was given to the town by Sir William Gilstrap.
In 1988 the new library opened in Beaumond Gardens amid controversy over its glass-panelled design, which won a Royal Institute of British Architects regional award in 1991.
“It was exciting moving to the new building and it really put the library on the map,” Mrs Greenfield said.
Mrs Molly Pollitt, children’s services co-ordinator at Newark, said the library was well used, especially by children.
Each week pupils from Hawtonville junior and the Mount primary schools spend an hour browsing the shelves and reading books. There is also a fortnightly session for under-fives.
“Children’s lives are so busy but there is nothing like sitting down with a good book,” Mrs Pollitt said.
“Hopefully the children will have this image in their minds of libraries as a place to get satisfaction and enjoyment and also a place where you can find out information.”
Mrs Pollitt, who has worked at the library for three years, said libraries offered a service for everyone.
“The era of libraries being quiet has gone,” she said.
“People should not be put off thinking it is a place for clever people. It is for anybody.”
Mrs Sue Zemontas (60) of Southend Avenue, Newark, takes her grandson, Isaac Zemontas (2) of Newton Street, to the library every other week for the Rattle, Rhyme and Roll song session for under-fives.
“I think it is brilliant. It gets the children meeting other children and helps them learn to read,” she said.
Mrs Marian Holmes (77) of Honeysuckle Close, Balderton, regularly uses the computers.
“I don’t have a computer at home but at least I can get some help here,” she said.
Mrs Holmes, a retired nurse, emails her family in Canada and the United States. She has also started to research her family history online.
Mr Anthony Ryan (73) of Wolsey Road, Newark, takes books out every week.
His favourite genre is war and his most recent loan was Ill Made By Moonlight, by W. Stanley Moss.
“The service couldn’t be better. There is a good selection of books and they change every so often as well,” he said.
A couple who owe much to the library service are Mr and Mrs Gren Hinton, of Marlborough Close, Newark, who met in a library nearly 45 years ago.
Mrs Chris Hinton (64) was an assistant at Sherwood Library, Nottingham.
“He came into the library and started chatting to me and that was it,” she said.
“I don’t think he took any books out but he kept coming to see me. He even sent flowers to the library.”
Mrs Hinton said their 43-year marriage had come about all because of the library.
She retired from Balderton Library in 2003 but continues to provide part-time cover for libraries in the Newark area.
“I absolutely love it, that’s why I carry on,” she said.
