Refurbishment of a former Chinese takeaway on Leeds Road, Harrogate, has unveiled a “ghost sign” of a tiny library that closed around 50 years ago.

Liberty Library was a subscription library where readers paid a nominal fee to rent books. It’s believed it was there from the 1930s until the early 1970s.

Subscription libraries were popular alternatives to larger public libraries in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Harrogate’s Boots chemist also offered a subscription library service in the town at the time.

Pannal and Harrogate historian, Anne Smith, said she remembers visiting Liberty Library in the early 1960s.

She said the books were not “highfalutin” and catered mainly to the female reader. It also sold toys, sweets, stationery, stamps and newspapers.

Ms Smith said:

“It was very useful. There was a big table the back with all different books on it. The books were tremendous.”

The sign was made by a business called Wilson Signs

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Leeds Road

Liberty Library also sold annuals for children such as School Friend, Dandy, Beano, Knock Out and Film Fun. Children would save up their pocket money throughout the year and come before Christmas to pick up the end-of-year editions.

Ms Smith said the section of Leeds Road looked different in those days. Some of the buildings that are shops today were houses and had gardens where there are now usually parked cars.

Other notable Leeds Road businesses at the time included Paul’s Bakery, Padgett’s greengrocers and Scott’s.

Leeds Road in 1955, with Liberty Library on the left. Photo credit: unknown.

Liberty Library closed in the early 1970s as subscription libraries went out of fashion.

Two people on social media shared their memories of Liberty Library with the Stray Ferret.

Brian Skinner said:

“I remember visiting it and borrowing books before I joined the children’s library in town. It must have been in the late 40s. We also ordered our Christmas annuals, paying for them over a period before Christmas. Happy days.”

John Carr said:

“I remember the Liberty Library from growing up in the area in the 50s & 60s. I used to buy my matchbox cars and other toys from it.”

Mr Carr has a directory of businesses from 1948 that lists Mrs E Worfolk as the proprietress of Liberty Library.

He added:

“I recall an elderly (weren’t they all when we were little?) man who ran it but didn’t know his name.”

The sign was spotted by Ghost Signs, a website and social media account that is dedicated to the fading remains of hand-painted advertising.

Anyone else spotted this find from @speccy2?

Would love to know more about the library, and what the tiny lettering bottom right is, likely a signwriter's signature…#ghostsigns #ghostsign #libertylibrary #harrogate #shopfront https://t.co/9ixNCusoLv

— Ghostsigns (Sam Roberts) (@ghostsigns) March 8, 2022

Bilton and Woodfield Community Library will be closed for two weeks due to flooding.

A burst pipe in the nearby children’s centre caused water to enter the library (pictured above). Volunteers that operate the library noticed the problem when they arrived this morning.

Contractors are already on site to assess the damage and work to clean up the leak could start as soon as tomorrow.

However, the library will be closed for two weeks while work is carried out.

People who were due to return library books during the closure will not face fines.

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Fascinating adverts placed inside Harrogate tourist brochures in the 1970s and 80s offer a glimpse into the town’s recent past.

The adverts are available to view upstairs in Harrogate Library on Victoria Avenue.

The retro adverts range from luxurious quilts made at the Dunlopillo factory in Pannal to swimming at the long-demolished Coppice Valley pool.

They also include staples of the era such as Carringtons nightclub on Station Parade and Pinocchio’s Italian restaurant on Cheltenham Parade.

Other businesses such as Olivers fish and chips on Cold Bath Road are still going strong.

Library supervisor Jane Trigoso has been posting some of the images on the library’s Facebook page.

Ms Trigoso said Pinocchio’s is the “number one” best remembered former Harrogate business.

She said:

“People have so much affection for some of these businesses. They like to reminisce about how it used to be.”

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View our image gallery below. How many do you remember?

Pride in Diversity is helping Harrogate Library set up a Lego club for children with autism and disabilities and it is asking the public to donate Lego.

Lego has been found to be beneficial to children on the autism spectrum as it can help them build an interest in something they can share with their other children.

Lego that is either new in a box or sets that have been used can be donated. For used sets, they need to be complete and include the instructions.

Lego can be dropped off at the library on Victoria Avenue with a note for ‘Laura Hellfeld, Pride in Diversity’. 

Ms Hellfield said:

“I have been now working with the staff at Harrogate Library for a few years in creating inclusive events. The staff have always been kind and welcoming and very keen to increase programmes that benefit everyone in Harrogate.”

The Lego club will likely be starting in the new school term after Christmas.

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Two libraries in the Harrogate district have been highly commended for their improved performance. 

Boroughbridge community library and Bilton and Woodfield community library were among those recognised by the North Yorkshire County Council Library of the Year awards. 

Norton Hive library, near Malton, was crowned the overall winner.

Bilton and Woodfield library has had a lot to overcome in recent years. After funding cuts in 2011 it almost closed permanently, and is now run entirely by volunteers.

Shortly afterwards it had to find a new home and in 2017 a faulty boiler caused a major flood.

So Greta Knight, chair of the library, was pleased to accept the commendation:

“This award was a recognition of all the hard work done by everyone connected with the library and I was extremely proud to accept it on their behalf.”

Bilton library: Chairman Greta Knight and North Yorkshire County Council chairman, councillor Jim Clark, hold the award. Local member Councillor Geoff Webber (left) and libraries general manager Chrys Mellor (centre) surrounded by volunteers and supporters.

Boroughbridge library secretary Diana Holmes said: 

“It is great to have the hard work of our team of lovely volunteers recognised by this award. The library is at the heart of the local community and we know from customer comments that it is greatly valued. 

“The award gives us a very satisfying pat on the back from our colleagues at the county council and is especially appreciated in these current challenging times.”

Boroughbridge library: Chairman Ian Hick and North Yorkshire County Council chairman, councillor Jim Clark, hold the award. From left, area librarian Catherine Barlow, facilities manager Mike Collins, activities manager Barbara Horner, library manager Lee Taylor, treasurer Nic Holmes and secretary Diana Holmes.

Ordinarily, Boroughbridge library runs weekly activities such as story time, scrabble and one-to-one help with IT issues. These activities have been limited by the pandemic. 

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Greg White, the council’s executive member for libraries, said:

“The success of these community-run libraries is a testament to the local communities who will go to great lengths to keep the service running.

 “Despite lockdown resulting in the closure of our buildings we have increased our digital offer and seen 3,000 new customers join and a huge increase in digital borrowing.”

Libraries in the district have reopened this week for people to return their books and request books. There are plans to reopen for browsing by the end of July.

As well as returning their books, people can also take part in the ‘select and collect’ scheme. The scheme allows people to ask for specific titles but also asks for the reader’s preferred genres, the authors they like in order to create a personalised bundle.

Harrogate library is in the first phase of reopening. From next week people can book computer slots and collect the books they have requested.

Jane Trigoso, Harrogate library supervisor, said:

“The select and collect system has been inundated with requests but I know a lot of people are keen to get back to browsing and physically be in here choosing their books. From next week people will be able to come in and collect their bundles and also sign up if they want to become a new member.”

It’s unlikely these bookshelves will have any visitors until the end of the month.

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Through this period the library has increased its online posting to try and offer the group activities regular visitors are used to. Jane added:

“People can also look on our facebook page to see competitions, online events and story times too. So staff and partners we’ve worked with in the past are reading the stories online.”

Visitors to the library today were pleased to see it had began to reopen. Tom Benson said:

“I used to come her pretty much every week to grab a book so I’m really happy its reopened. I’ve been told I can request books for next week so I need to have a think what book I want. All the systems are for safety and that makes me feel good about it.”

Philip Davies said:

“I’ve really missed it, I’m an avid reader and it’s important to use the libraries. I’ve missed having them open, I’m quite happy with the measures in place and feel at ease.