Wallasey Village Library and Community Centre
Grand re-opening as a Community Managed Library
Thursday December 12th 2024
It was such a joy to attend the grand re-opening of Wallasey Village Library and Community Centre on Thursday December 12th, and to see a new addition to the community managed libraries network across the country.
In 2022 Wirral Council took the difficult decision to close Wallasey Village Library due to budget pressures. The community at the time decided they wanted to find a community led solution to running the library and set about establishing a charity to run the building and create a business plan that would make it sustainable.
Two years later the grand re-opening has now taken place, and the final piece of the jigsaw for the building is now in place. The BAKED café and community space at Wallasey Village library had already reopened and the library is now re-opened for membership. The new Wallasey Village library will be open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday with a phased re-opening starting in January.
Wallasey Village Library and Community centre is a revitalised space that is more than a library. It is a hub for education, creativity and connection. With facilities designed for all ages, the building aims to
- Provide a welcoming environment for reading and learning
- Host community events and workshops
- Foster partnerships with local organisations to benefit residents of Wallasey Village and beyond
Local author Ramsay Campbell officially cut the ribbon at the Wallasey Village library opening ceremony. Mr Campbell, an author for 50 years and described as the leading horror writer of a generation, used his first library when he was six-years-old growing up in Childwall, Liverpool, by using his mum’s library credits. He said this gave him access to a world of ghost stories and sci-fi novels that he wouldn’t have otherwise afforded.
As libraries adapt to 21st century changes, he believes they will never stop offering a place for the community to come together and socialise, not just to read books. He said: “These places are irreplaceable. These places are very much part of the community. He added: “I think libraries and books still have a place.”
“It raises my spirits to see this re-opening. It makes me more optimistic for the future, for this here and libraries in general. It reminds you what can still be achieved. You might think it has gone away but here it is back again. I was distraught. Every time I see a library shut, a bit of the imagination dies but things are looking up. It gives me hope for the future.”