Battle Library

Battle Library Manager: Marjorie McClure

About the Library

Battle was the first library to be built by Reading Borough. A striking structure, funded in part by Andrew Carnegie, Battle has provided a unique landmark for the local community since 1908 and is a grade II listed building.  It has always played an important part in the lives of local residents, serving as a hospital in WWI and as an air raid depot in WWII.  Battle Library reopened in June 2009 after being closed for refurbishment, made possible by a $1.4 million grant from the BIG Lottery Fund.  Today Battle library provides a stylish venue for various activities and organisations such as Baby Clinic run in partnership with Reading Primary Care Trust and ESOL classes run by Reading Adult College.  We have also enhanced the services to the library user, including a word processing computer, Wi-Fi, a Reading caravan and a community garden.

Services we provide

• Books – Fiction and non-fiction books for both adults and children
• Community room (including a SMART board)
• Community garden
• Storytelling tree
• Under 5's PC with games
• Teen area with Wii
• Space for local artists to display their work
• Reading caravan
• Public toilets
• Spoken word cassettes for adults and children
• DVDS & music CDs
• Large print books
• ‘Back to Basics’ section with books to help adult learners with Maths and English
• Books in other languages - Bengali and Urdu
• National and local newspapers
• Selection of magazines including Practical Parenting, Amateur Gardening and The Vegetarian
• Free Internet access - 8 public terminals available
• Word processing computer
• Photocopier
• Fax
• Study space
• Parents and carers can join the Toy Library and reserve and collect toys at Battle Library

Events

• Storytime & Rhymetime - times can be found here.
• Battle Baby Clinic - Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 2.15pm – 4.15pm. This is open to all. Health visitors are there to offer advice, babies are weighed and baby milk issued. Books and toys are available to keep older siblings amused.
• Reading Primary Care Trust hold Ante-Natal and Post Natal Classes at Battle Library every Friday afternoon 2.15-4.30pm
• Battle hosts regular visits from staff at Reading Museum who bring along and discuss interesting exhibits
• Bookstart Book Crawl
• We have an annual Summer Reading Challenge run every year during school summer holidays
• We welcome visits from schools, nurseries, playgroups and other children’s groups – please contact the library to arrange a visit
• For other one-off events see the News section of the website

Access

By BUS:
Battle Library can be visited using bus numbers 17, 18 & 31

There is a easy disabled access at the front entrance.

Contact details