Putney Library

The library is at numbers 5 to 7 on the north side of Disraeli road, just off Putney High street.{{cite web |title=Putney Library |url=https://www.better.org.uk/library/london/wandsworth/putney-library |website=www.better.org.uk |publisher=Better |access-date=18 April 2021 |language=en}}

File:Putney Library 02.JPG

The original building design was inspired by Norman Shaw{{cite web |title=Newnes Public Library, Wandsworth |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101331702-newnes-public-library-thamesfield-ward#.YGjoGuhKg2w |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=18 April 2021}} and designed by Francis J Smith.{{cite web |title=1898 – Design for Public Library, Putney, London |url=https://www.archiseek.com/2014/1898-design-for-public-library-putney-london/ |website=Archiseek - Irish Architecture |publisher=archiseek |access-date=18 April 2021 |date=13 February 2014}} It was paid for by George Newnes, who established 'Tit-Bits' magazine,{{cite web |title=Putney Library - Disraeli Road, Putney |url=https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMD361_Putney_Library_Disraeli_Road_Putney_London_UK |website=www.waymarking.com |publisher=Way Marking |access-date=18 April 2021}} and was built by H. Roffey of Putney.{{cite web |title=Putney New Library |url=https://www.victorianlondon.org/education/putneylibrary.htm |website=www.victorianlondon.org |publisher=Dictionary of Victorian London |access-date=18 April 2021}} The library was opened in 1899{{cite web |title=Explore the hidden history Of Putney Library |url=http://www.tiredoflondontiredoflife.com/2014/05/explore-hidden-history-of-putney-library.html |website=www.tiredoflondontiredoflife.com/ |publisher=Tired of London, Tired of Life |access-date=18 April 2021}} by Lord Russell of Killowen.

File:Inside Putney library (27718488169).jpg

The building has three storeys and the original reading room has a vaulted roof,{{cite web |title=Oxford Road Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Strategy |url=https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/1666/oxford_road.pdf |website=www.wandsworth.gov.uk/ |publisher=Wandsworth Borough Council |access-date=18 April 2021}} during World War Two the basement of the building was used as an Air Raid Patrol centre.{{cite web |title=Putney Library - Disraeli Road, Putney|url=https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMD361_Putney_Library_Disraeli_Road_Putney_London_UK |website=www.waymarking.com |publisher=Way Marking |access-date=18 April 2021}}

Wandsworth museum opened in the library building in 1986, but later moved to the Old County Court House in Garratt Lane in 1996, and subsequently merged with Battersea Arts Centre.

In 1977, a single storey extension was built to the left of the main building to house a children's library and a music library. At this time, the entrance was still through the original building.

In 1997, the 70's extension was demolished and a glass one added with a new entrance designed by Trevor Williams of Wandsworth Borough Council design service.{{cite book |last1=Fisher |first1=Biddy |title=Libraries and Learning Resource Centres |date=18 June 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-38771-5 |pages=248 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OxAhjAEmEwcC |language=en}} The extension cost £2,800,000; the floorspace was expanded to 2300 square metres{{cite web |title=Designing Libraries - Putney Library |url=http://www.designinglibraries.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1128 |website=www.designinglibraries.org.uk |publisher=Designing Libraries |access-date=18 April 2021}} and the original building's stone face was cleaned and restored.{{cite web |title=Putney Library, London SW15 |url=https://www.albionstone.com/files/2014/8543/0186/Putney_Library.pdf |website=www.albionstone.com/ |publisher=Albion Stone |access-date=18 April 2021}} The 90's extension won the Mayor's Award for accessibility for wheelchair

users and those with hearing disability aids, and it was also the winner of the Public Library Building Award 1999 in the large refurbished library category.{{cite web |title=Modern Architecture in Putney and Roehampton |url=https://putneysociety.org.uk/putney_society_files/Buildings-Panel/Modern-Architecture-Gazetteer-2019-09-16.pdf |website=putneysociety.org.uk/ |publisher=Putney Society |access-date=18 April 2021}}

In 2021, Wandsworth Borough Council proposed that the library become a community hub, including shared workspaces and a new community cafe.{{cite news |last1=Bayley |first1=Sian |title=The big changes you could soon see in Putney and Wandsworth Town Centre |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/big-changes-you-could-soon-19810743 |access-date=18 April 2021 |work=MyLondon |publisher=My London |date=10 February 2021 |language=en}}

There are over 20,000 books in the library's collection.{{cite web |title=Putney Library |url=http://www.putneysocial.co.uk/putney-library.html |website=www.putneysocial.co.uk/ |publisher=Putney Social |access-date=18 April 2021 |language=en}} As a public library all books are free to borrow, though only a limited amount at any one time, and with charges for borrowing CDs and DVDs.

In 2020, the library had a book that was returned after 56 years, due back in 1964; it was sent from Athens, Greece.{{cite news |last1=Porter |first1=Toby |title=Wandsworth library book returned after 56 years – from a church in Greece |url=https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/wandsworth-library-book-returned-after-56-years-from-a-church-in-greece/ |access-date=18 April 2021 |work=South London News |publisher=London News Online |date=23 November 2020}}

The library also has a digital collection with online reference material that can be accessed on the library website or the Libby app. In the building, there are also computer terminals with free internet access, study rooms for both adults and children, regular reading groups, and other meetings. MPs and local town Councillors also hold their surgeries in rooms in the building.{{cite web |title=Putney Library |url=http://positivelyputney.co.uk/listings/putney-library/ |website=positivelyputney.co.uk/ |publisher=Positively Putney |access-date=18 April 2021}}

The Friends of Putney Library organise events and exhibitions in the library.{{cite web |title=Friends of Putney Library |url=https://co-operate.coop.co.uk/groups/friends-of-putney-library/ |website=co-operate.coop.co.uk |publisher=Co-operate |access-date=18 April 2021}}

As of spring 2022, the library is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, from 09:00 to 20:00, on Fridays and Saturdays from 09:00 to 17:00, Sundays from 13:00 to 17:00, and it is closed on Tuesdays,{{Cite web |title=Putney Library {{!}} Wandsworth {{!}} Better libraries |url=https://www.better.org.uk/articles |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=www.better.org.uk |language=en}} there is ramp access from the Disraeli road pavement into the building, and there is a lift.

The library is served by Transport for London buses 14, 39. 85, 93, 424, and 430 which stop at Putney Station on Putney High Street. East Putney tube station (District line) is an 7-minute walk and Putney railway station (Southwestern Railway) is an 1-minute walk round the corner.{{cite web |title=How to get to Putney Library in Putney by Train, Bus or Tube {{!}} Moovit |url=https://moovitapp.com/index/en-gb/public_transportation-Putney_Library-London_and_South_East-site_6832515-2122 |website=moovitapp.com |publisher=moovit |access-date=18 April 2021}}

The Santander Cycles Putney rail station docking station is a 2-minute walk,{{cite web |title=Find a docking station |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles/find-a-docking-station |website=tfl.gov.uk/ |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=13 April 2021}} there is also public cycle parking on Disraeli road.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.better.org.uk/library/london/wandsworth/putney-library Better page on the library for the London Borough of Wandsworth]

{{Libraries in London}}

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Category:Grade II listed library buildings

Category:Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Wandsworth

Category:Libraries in the London Borough of Wandsworth

Category:Putney

Category:Library buildings completed in 1899

Category:1899 establishments in England