About Us
Walkley Library is a landmark in the area, standing at the junction of Walkley Road and South Road on a busy crossroads. Over a hundred years old, the library is a thriving place, run by volunteers who really care about the library, its books and the community. The library gives the chance for anyone, no matter what age, to love reading and read books for free, from picture books to thrillers and Booker Prize winners. Walkley Library also puts on events, including singing for tiny tots, craft groups, author events and second hand book sales.
The building is the only surviving Carnegie Library in Sheffield. Carnegie libraries were funded by a self-made millionaire called Andrew Carnegie, who believed that libraries could help people through education, the way he'd been helped himself. Many Carnegie libraries were beautiful, ornate buildings, which is why Walkley Library is a Grade II listed building, including its boundary walls and the commemorative plaque in front of the library.
Our Story
It started in 1904…
Construction of the library began in August 1904 to serve the growing population of Walkley. The suburb had become a popular area with commuters with the arrival of the Sheffield Tramway in the early 1900s.
Councillor J.W. Crowther had the task of supervising the building of the library without incurring any cost to local taxpayers. He approached Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish American steel magnate who had set up a fund to cover the cost of new libraries. Carnegie agreed to provide £3,500 for the construction of the library, with an agreement that the Sheffield Libraries Committee consented to spend no less than £230 per annum on its upkeep.
Local architects were invited to submit plans for the new library that would not only be within the £3,500 budget, but also correspond with the specifications drawn up by the Sheffield City Surveyor. These specifications included an entrance hall with drinking fountain, separate reading rooms for men and women and a lending library and rooms for the librarian and the committee.
The winner was Henry Leslie Paterson of the architects Hemsoll & Paterson of Bank Street, Sheffield. The building contractor was Daniel O’Neil of Scotland Street and the foundation stone was laid on August 9th 1904 by Alderman Brittain.
The building was completed by the end of 1905 after 16 months of work, and was opened by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield Herbert Hughes.
The life of the library
Generations of Walkley residents borrowed books and took part in activities, and Walkley Library became an essential part of local people's lives.
The building is small but quite striking with its large bay windows and distinctive entrance which consists of a portico with six Ionic columns with a curving staircase leading to it. It consists of two wings and is in the Tudor Revival style. The stone for the external walls was quarried locally at the Bole Hills quarry at Crookes, with the smooth dressing stone around the entrance and windows coming from Stoke Hall at Calver. It originally had a small ornamental wooden cupola over the entrance hall but this was removed in 1956 after it was deemed to be unsafe.
On November 3rd 1924, a junior section was added to the library in what had been the women’s reading room. The building had internal alterations made in 1954, which included the relocation of the junior library to the former men’s reading room and the demolition of an internal wall, which enabled the main lending library to be extended.
In 1992, it was rumoured that Walkley Library was to be closed by Sheffield City Council. In the end, the library remained open. Walkley Library Action Group worked to encourage a provision of a wide range of services and activities at the library and lobbied for and gained listed building status for the building from English Heritage in February 1993.
Walkley Carnegie Library today
Walkley Library was one of 15 city libraries slated for closure in the Sheffield City Council 2013 library review. A campaign group called Walkley Against Library Closures formed to fight the closure of all city public libraries including Walkley.
Since November 2014, Walkley Library has been run by a dedicated group of volunteers. Walkley Carnegie Library is now a registered charity (a charitable incorporated organisation). After almost 120 years, it still provides an essential service to local people, from babies, children, teenagers, and adults of all ages. We are constantly updating our book selection and also provide free access to the internet and warm, cosy spaces to relax or study in.
We are always looking for new volunteers to join our team, so if you love books, helping your community and meeting new people, please get in touch!