 Wokingham Library has had four homes since first opening in September 1924
Help us to celebrate 100 years of Wokingham Library
Did you know that there has been a library in Wokingham for nearly 100 years? We are really excited to be celebrating this huge milestone on Thursday 5 September.
Join us at the library from 10am to 11.30am for a charity coffee morning, as we look back on a century of serving the community. The event will be raising money for SHARE Wokingham, which redistributes food to those in need that would otherwise go to waste.
There will be displays all about the history of Wokingham Library, which has had four different homes.
Keep an eye out on the libraries Facebook page for details of more activities taking place for the 100th anniversary.
History of Wokingham Library
The first iteration of the town's library opened in the former Bank Room of Wokingham Town Hall, which is now the Jubilee Room, on 5 September 1924. It was initially open for just two hours per week.
The library moved to Montague House in May 1951, allowing for an expanded service. It was open for ten hours a week and had more than 4,500 registered readers in the first year.
A decision was taken in 1994 to build a larger library at the former G.K. Motors site on the corner of Denmark Street and Langborough Road. This was a joint venture, funded by Berkshire County Council, Wokingham District Council and Wokingham Town Council. The new library was officially opened in October 1996.
The new library at the Carnival Hub opened on 20 September 2022. It was due to open a day earlier, but this was delayed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
 Get ready for the return of children's book festival
Children and families are in for a treat with the return of the Wokingham Children's Book Festival, a celebration of storytelling, imagination and creativity.
Now in its seventh year, the festival will be held on the weekend of 19 and 20 October, with a total of 13 events featuring award-winning authors and illustrators.
Sessions will be held at Wokingham Town Hall and Wokingham Library, with a mixture of book readings, crafting and singing.
The festival will get underway on the Saturday at the Carnival Hub in Wokingham with a visit from Enchanted Players Theatre Company.
Authors attending this year's festival include A. F. Harrold, Steve Antony and Holly Webb. Tickets will go on general sale on Monday 2 September, with early bird discount available until Sunday 15 September. Book early and secure your space for what is sure to be a memorable weekend.
The festival is delivered by a partnership involving our library service, Wokingham Town Council, Love Wokingham, more arts and dedicated volunteers.
 Lower Earley Library's new piano a hit with visitors
We've already had lots of fun with our new piano at Lower Earley Library.
Jamie Read from the Berkshire Music Trust visited us on Thursday 15 August and gave two amazing performances.
In the morning, he played hits for adults, including You've Got a Friend by Carole King, Your Song by Elton John and I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts.
The afternoon session was for children aged four to nine and featured songs from Toy Story and Beauty and the Beast, as well as Roar by Katy Perry.
We are very grateful to The Earley Charity, Wokingham Lions Club and Berkshire Music Trust for the help they have provided to enable us to have a new piano at Lower Earley Library, which will be a fantastic resource for the community to enjoy.
We would be keen to hear from anyone who would be interested in volunteering to teach others to play. If you think you can help, send us an email.
 Young wordsmiths receive their poetry certificates
As part of this year's Great Big Green Week, we invited children across the borough to send in their poems about nature.
There were three age categories and the winner of each received a £20 book voucher, with the winners chosen by our libraries, biodiversity and climate emergency teams.
Certificates were recently presented to the winners and runners-up at Wokingham Library. Congratulations to Maliya, Mabel and Freya for winning their respective categories and well done also to Rebecca, Iris and Aadya for being runners-up.
The children were inspired by themes such as river pollution, trees, mushrooms and added illustrations to make their poems even more eye-catching.
We had more than 100 entries and the judges had a tough time choosing their favourites. Thank you to everyone who took part.
Read our libraries blog article, which features recommended reading on climate change.
 Workshops on shapes, phonics and telling the time
Explore Learning workshops are taking place at libraries across the borough. In these sessions, children will improve their knowledge by taking on a series of fun challenges.
All workshops are held from 3.45pm to 4.45pm. These are free to attend, but booking is required:
- Woodley Library: Fun with Phonics, Tuesday 10 September
- Winnersh Library: Telling the Time, Wednesday 11 September
- Lower Earley Library: Superhero Shapes, Thursday 12 September
- Wokingham Library: Fun with Phonics, Friday 13 September
- Finchampstead Library: Superhero Shapes, Friday 20 September
To find out more and book for any of the above sessions, visit our library events website
 Fun stories for little ones now on offer at Twyford
We have started offering Storytime sessions at the new Twyford Library.
These run from 10.30am to 11am on the second Tuesday of the month, with the next session taking place on 10 September.
Come and join us for some fun stories, suitable for children aged two to four. It is free to attend, but registration is required.
We also have Storytime sessions coming up at our libraries in Lower Earley, Woodley and Finchampstead.
 Have your queries answered at digital skills sessions
Are you looking to boost your digital know-how? Our digital skills sessions are the perfect opportunity for you to get comfortable with technology. With the guidance of our friendly volunteers, you will gain the confidence and skills you need to tackle the digital world.
What we offer:
- Personalised help with phones, tablets, laptops and more
- Guidance on printing, scanning and using library services
- A supportive environment where no question is too small
Your digital adventure awaits at:
- Woodley Library: Every first Monday and Thursday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am.
- Lower Earley Library: Every second Tuesday and fourth Monday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am.
- Twyford Library: Every first Friday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am.
- Finchampstead Library: Every second Friday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am.
Extra support on hand:
- AbilityNet: Pop in to Lower Earley on the fourth Friday of each month, from 10am to 11.30am, for expert help from a charity with more than 20 years of experience
- NHS App Insights: Visit Wokingham Library on the fourth Monday of the month (except for August), from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, to learn about the NHS app's features, including managing prescriptions and booking appointments. The next session is on Monday 23 September
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