Gateshead Central Library will celebrate its 100 birthday later this year, replete with a series of events to mark the occasion.
Gateshead Council has announced the official celebration on March 7 to mark the centenary of the library. The event will be hosted at the landmark in partnership with the Queen’s Reading Room, a charity promoting reading.
The event will see a ‘Meet the Author’ session with Peter James and ITV’s Grace star Richie Campbell. There will also be a family event with the library’s “storyteller-in-residence” Chris Adiraanse, who will lead a folk-tale and fairytale session.
Cabinet member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Councillor Angela Douglas, shared: “Gateshead Central Library has been part of the fabric of our borough for 100 years. It’s wonderful to mark this milestone with an unforgettable event alongside the Queen’s Reading Room. I would encourage as many people as possible to come along and make themselves part of the library’s history.”
Saltwell councillor Denise Robson said: “I think a lot of people don’t realise the relevance of libraries. The fact that they are free, introduce our children to the magic world of readings, and the archives for people doing research of various kinds.
“We really do seem to have the crown jewels in Saltwell with the library, the art gallery, and the leisure centre and all served by public transport. It is a fabulous place.
“The fact we have the library in such a beautiful building and its having its hundredth birthday is fabulous.”
Vicki Perrin, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Reading Room, said “We are delighted to celebrate this remarkable milestone with Gateshead Central Library. For a century, this library has been lighting little fires of curiosity and imagination in its community – exactly the spirit that drives our mission at The Queen’s Reading Room.”
