Village library celebrates 50 years of community

Members of the library service past and present, councillors and local partners celebrated the milestone

A library with more than 1,500 visitors a month has celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Before Yaxley Library opened in 1975, the Cambridgeshire village was served by a mobile library.

On the permanent library's opening day, demand was so high that more than half of its stock was issued, prompting a plea to other libraries for additional books.

Leigh Paget, community library assistant for Cambridgeshire Libraries, said the space had a "real community feel" within the village.

Yaxley Library was refurbished earlier this year

The library issues about 24,000 books a year, with crime and mystery, cookery, and dinosaurs among the most popular genres.

In 2003, Yaxley Library joined The People's Network, a government initiative to introduce computers to public libraries.

Earlier this year, the building was refurbished.

One parent attending a children's play session said it was her first visit and she was pleasantly surprised by the updated space.

"Now it's getting colder we want to try and do more indoor activities and try and keep costs down as well," she said.

"If you take them to soft play you can easily spend £25 for two hours, whereas this is easier on the pockets."

Alison Whelan, a Liberal Democrat county and district councillor, said: "For 50 years Yaxley Library has provided a vital service for the local community.

"It is a vibrant and welcoming space for everyone – whether you want to browse the shelves, borrow a book or two, or get involved in a variety of events and activities, including the ever-popular Rhymetime and board games clubs.

"Our libraries are hugely valued by the communities they serve, and that's why as a county council we're investing in our libraries to ensure they continue to meet the needs of residents."

She added it was "lovely to see people of all ages and backgrounds visiting".

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