Hammersmith Library take part in the Harry Potter launch

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Library celebrate 100 years next week

Hammersmith Library is 100 years old next week -
but the library is keeping up with young readers by taking part in the launch of the new Harry Potter book.

Twenty children and their parents or carers joined a Harry Potter Breakfast at the library from 9.30-10.30am on Saturday (16 July) to celebrate the launch of J K Rowling's latest blockbuster, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth in the seven-book series.

Attractions included Harry Potter food - such as chocolate frogs, 'toxic' sweets and sparkly drinks - as well as more traditional breakfast food such as croissants and fruit juice. There was also Potter-themed craft activities, readings from the new book and the chance to win a copy in a raffle. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will also be on sale in the library during the event -
copies available for loan have already been reserved!

Next Sunday (24 July) Hammersmith Library will celebrate its centenary with an afternoon of special events for children and adults:
* Children's music workshops, run
by the Music House for Children, will take place from 2.15 - 3pm
(singing and songwriting for ages 8 - 11) and 3.15 - 4pm (singing and
songwriting for ages 12 - 16).
* A 45-minute tour of the
building, looking at its architecture and history, begins at 3pm.
* There will also be displays,
featuring old photos of the library, a library quiz with prizes, a
'borrow one, get one free' offer on CDs, DVDs and videos and an
anniversary cake.

Hammersmith Library, in Shepherds Bush Road, was built with money from Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and was officially opened on 24 July 1905. Major renovation and cleaning work to the outside of the building in 1998 led to the reinstatement of some
original features - including the historic weather vane which had been
stored in the library's stationery cupboard after being blown down in
the hurricane of 1987.

Cllr Melanie Smallman, cabinet member for education,
said: "We are proud of our library service which has moved with the
times to cater for the needs of residents of all ages and backgrounds.
At the end of March we celebrated over one million visitors to our six
libraries for the year - the first time we have reached that annual
figure in recent years. Sunday opening, new books, DVD collections,
better disabled access and new computers with internet access at all
libraries, as well as an exciting programme of events for children and
adults, have helped us to increase the number of visits by 15 per cent
in the last two years and items issued by more than five per cent over
the same period."

July 16, 2005