Bookish Places: Wallasey Central Library

If you live in the Wirral, you have a choice of ten public libraries to choose from. And I want to talk about them because every website I visited doesn't actually disclose how much they offer or how beautiful some of them truly are. We'll start with one of my favourites - Wallasey Central Library.

• Vibe: Traditional

• Coffee shop: No

• Child friendly: Yes

• Dedicated romance section: No

• Order online: Yes, via the Borrow Book app and Wirral Libraries & Archives

• Address: Earlston Road, Wallasey CH45 5DX

HISTORY & SETTING

Set in a gorgeous building at the edges of Earlston Gardens, Wallasey or Liscard Library is over a hundred years old. It's one of the 660 libraries built in the UK and Ireland with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. For the architecture aficionados out there, I'm told it's one of the best-preserved examples of a substantial symmetrical Carnegie library in the UK, because it has kept a good number of its original fixture and fittings despite its many years of service as a public building.

It has obviously had changes done to it to accommodate new technology and, in areas, you can definitely see where Council budget cuts have had an impact. It's honestly heartbreaking to see such a beautiful building with areas of disrepair. But... Boasting a grand entrance and rooms with big windows, beautiful ornamental ceilings, and garden views, this library building is simply gorgeous. You even get to spot some of its original bookshelves!

Andrew Carnegie, by the way, is responsible for building 2,509 libraries all over the world. He is also credited with building libraries dedicated to the black community during the years of segregation in America. And here is a curious fact... Carnegie nearly always made people walk up a staircase and under a lamp to enter his libraries. This was done on purpose, to signify that you were elevating and enlightening yourself by reading and learning. Something he believed in personally, as he had learned and elevated his status in society through reading. You can't help but admire the man.

WHAT IS ON OFFER

As well as paper books in a multitude of genres (obvs!), you can borrow jigsaw puzzles, audiobooks, eBooks, magazines, newspapers, music (CDs) and films (DVDs).

This particular library also offers digital access, printing, photocopying and scanning facilities. You can even print directly from your own laptop, phone or tablet.

In fact, if you have a smartphone I would highly recommend getting the Borrow Book app. Via the app, you can reserve paper books, read newspapers and magazines as well as borrow and access eBooks and audiobooks. Guess who will start listening to some audiobooks soon?

And of course, as a public building, the library runs an array of community events, including regular clubs and seasonal festivities. If like me, you love jigsaws, they normally have a complex puzzle on the go that members of the public can help complete.

If that wasn't enough, Wallasey Central is also home to a reference library. This is a library that keeps records of local and family history over the years, such as electoral registers, newspapers, maps, trade directories, cemetery, Parish and Findmypast records.

As you can see, there is a lot on offer and, in short, Wallesey Central Library is well worth a visit. If not to use its many facilities or join an event, to just admire a gorgeous building funded by a man with vision greater than himself.