Burgess Road Library is now community-run but when it first opened in 1935, it was the first library in Southampton to have a specifically designed children’s library

Opened to serve the new housing estates in the Swaythling area, Burgess Road Library was opened using a golden key by Mayor Waller on 22nd May 1935.

The library was designed by S.G Stanton and built by Brazier and Son at a cost of approximately £7850.

The ground floor had separate reading and newspaper rooms, a lending library and for the first time in Southampton, a specially designed and furnished children’s library. The children’s library had its own lending and reading sections and furniture suitable for children. The first floor was used for store, work and staff rooms.

Opened initially with 6000 books in stock, the library had the capacity to hold 20,000 should there be the demand.

The library proved popular and within the first ten months of opening 1780 adults had registered, borrowing a daily average of 445 books.

The new children’s library was also in demand and the first ten months saw 1872 children registering and borrowing a daily average of 223 books.

Burgess Road library still stands on its original spot today and since 2016 has been run by The Burgess Road Library Action Group in partnership with Christ Church Southampton as one of our five community run libraries.