Published Wednesday 22 October 2025 at 16:19
There was a heartfelt show of appreciation for the ‘invaluable’ staff and volunteers as Blackburn Library celebrated its 50th anniversary at Town Hall Street.
Library colleagues and volunteers from all five of Blackburn with Darwen’s libraries came together with special guests for a tea party to mark the milestone moment.
And, in a touching tribute, Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:
What a momentous occasion this is – celebrating five decades since Blackburn Library moved into the former Co-operative Emporium in Town Hall Street.
Throughout the years, one thing has remained constant – the passion and dedication of our library staff and the incredible volunteers who give their time so generously.
As a Council, we’re incredibly proud of the success of our libraries, our museum and the likes of venues like King George’s Hall.
These are places that are so important to our town centres and to the communities we serve.
Reflecting on the challenges faced over the years, Councillor Riley added:
Of course, we’ve had difficult times, particularly during austerity, but we fought to keep our libraries open.
That simply wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated staff and the many volunteers who stepped forward to support us – your contribution has been absolutely invaluable.
We’ve since been able to extend our opening hours and remove library fees to make sure everyone can enjoy them and all there is to offer.
What a success story our libraries are – something we should all celebrate.
Today our amazing volunteers support our library services in many ways.
Known as community libraries, Mill Hill, Cherry Tree and Roman Road are all run by volunteers, closely supported by library staff, while Blackburn and Darwen Library also rely heavily on a team of volunteers to help its staff.
The volunteers – of which there are more than 100 – also play an important role in community history projects, many featured on the borough’s fascinating Cotton Town online archive, and in delivering books to residents who can’t easily visit a library, a lifeline for many.
And they also support events and host sessions, including children’s holiday activities and the popular Knit and Natter groups.
Adele Karwat, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Service Manager for Libraries and Archives, said:
The 50th anniversary of Blackburn Library in Town Hall Street is a wonderful opportunity to reflect, but also to celebrate just how far we’ve come.
At the heart of our success are our incredible staff and dedicated volunteers, a wonderful group of people.
Our volunteers give their time, their energy and their passion to supporting our libraries, communities, and they truly make a difference. We can’t thank them enough.
The celebratory tea party is part of a full week of events to mark the golden anniversary.
Highlights include a visit from Blackburn-born author Iqbal Hussain, a special edition of Read, Rhythm and Rhyme, a coffee morning, a birthday Knit and Natter, and a Pages from the Past event exploring the library’s history.
Fittingly, the milestone also coincides with the launch of Blackburn with Darwen Library Service’s brand-new website – www.bwdlibraries.com – packed with useful information and free resources for residents.
The new site includes everything from opening times and contact details for all five libraries to a comprehensive What’s On guide showcasing more than 40 weekly sessions – from reading clubs and digital workshops to LEGO Club, Library Larks, live performances and IT courses.
It also offers a wealth of digital resources, including the popular BorrowBox app, which gives members free access to audiobooks, e-books, newspapers and magazines from the comfort of home.
And, in a busy week for the library service, the launch also ties in with Get Online Week (October 20–26), encouraging residents to explore the benefits of being online.
Blackburn Library’s golden chapter
Blackburn Central Library moved into the former Co-operative Emporium on Town Hall Street in 1975.
It was officially opened at 4pm on Friday, October 17, by then Prime Minister Harold Wilson, joined by Blackburn’s MP, Barbara Castle.
The move was met with huge excitement – queues formed outside, and new members joined at an astonishing rate of 400 per day. Over 10,000 books had to be brought from Preston just to keep up with demand.
Previously, Blackburn’s first purpose-built library had shared space with the Museum and Art Gallery, but growing demand meant it needed its own dedicated home.
The original plans for the new library featured a lending library, children’s library, music and drama library, reference library, cataloguing rooms, meeting spaces, a rare book section – and even a coffee and snack bar.
When the building was first designed, architects also envisioned a ‘first floor street’ of bridges linking the town’s cultural buildings – part of which became reality with a bridge between the library and King George’s Hall.
An extract from Cotton Town, the library’s impressive online archive of local history, recalls the move from the museum, describing “trains of trolleys of books” and “many musty volumes” found in the old “library dungeons.”
For a full list of anniversary events, please visit the Blackburn with Darwen Library Service website or follow Blackburn with Darwen Library and Information Service on Facebook and @BwDLibraries on Instagram.
And to find out more about volunteering, please check out the Get Involved section at www.bwdlibraries.com