We love Walsall Central Library because of it’s commitment to providing meaningful and innovative services to all members of its multilingual community. Whether there to visit the Learning Centre, attend one of the many brilliant live events, gather local tourism information or simply escape with a good book, you are guaranteed to do so in a welcoming and dedicated environment.

Walsall Central Library houses adult and children’s sections with comfortable places to sit and unwind as you explore its exciting and diverse collection of books. It also has a dedicated learning centre and a reference library that offer computer classes, adult discussion groups and information sections allowing you to keep up to date with what is going on in the local area. With an open feedback policy and friendly, specialist staff always on hand, the library works hard to ensure they can meet all your needs, whatever they may be.

Reading groups are also valued highly with over 15 reading groups running every month. These range from new born baby groups in Cradle Clubs to weekly shared reading sessions for adults in ‘Feel Better with a Book’ each Friday. The success of the latter has seen a second shared reading group start in the neighbouring Brownhills Library that meets every Tuesday. For the children and teenagers of Walsall there are also plenty of ‘Chatterbooks’ groups held both during the school week and at the weekend across the library service and the opening hours mean that there are even groups after working hours. It’s great to see how active the library staff are and how our training has enabled others to share their love of reading with their local communities.

The new Health and Wellbeing Group in Brownhills Library

Services for young people are excellent with dedicated events in the school holidays as well as those throughout the year. The ‘Circus Stars’ Summer Reading Challenge saw volunteers aged 16-25 encourage and support children aged 4-11 to read six books in six weeks throughout the holidays. The success of this event shows how much the community values its library.

Yvonne Archer at Walsall Central Library 17th August

Live events are frequent and varied at the library. To celebrate National Poetry Day, renowned comic poet Matt Harvey spent the afternoon at the library reading his work and answering questions to a packed out room of visitors. The event was organised by the entire staff at the library and is one of four author visits in October alone.

Matt Harvey in Walsall Central Library

Not just about private reading and solitary study, Walsall Central Library is committed to showing libraries can be the focal point of vibrant community events with books at its centre. Their work and events stretch out into to community and beyond. It’s an excellent example of how lives can be enriched through shared reading and that’s why we love it.