Tell us about your library memories

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A group of four girls running towards a mobile library van outside Durrington Library in 1974

In 2025 West Sussex Library Service is 100 years old!

To celebrate, we’re planning a year filled with events and activities. As part of the celebrations, we’re asking you to share your special library memories.

In 2025 West Sussex Library Service is 100 years old!

To celebrate, we’re planning a year filled with events and activities. As part of the celebrations, we’re asking you to share your special library memories.

Share your library experience

Do you remember getting your first library card, finding a favourite spot in the library, or making new friends at a library activity? 

We want to hear your stories and what your library means to you.

You can share written, visual or video memories; if you're sharing images, please make sure you have the consent of everyone who is included.

You can share as many memories as you like - to submit pictures or videos, select the picture icon or video camera icon that appear when you click in the box.

Don't forget, once they are approved by our admin team, any stories you share will be publicly visible and may be used in internal or external newsletters, displayed in our libraries and shared on our social media accounts. 


Thank you for sharing your library memory with us. 

All fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.

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  • Share A place to feel at home on Facebook Share A place to feel at home on Twitter Share A place to feel at home on Linkedin Email A place to feel at home link

    A place to feel at home

    by Jonas , 29 days ago
    I remember always going to the reference section

    Always working through some amazing reference books and being fascinated be the knowledge and processes I found there
    I know that is why I became an engineer
    big thank you



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  • Share My love of books on Facebook Share My love of books on Twitter Share My love of books on Linkedin Email My love of books link

    My love of books

    by Heather, 29 days ago

    I have always loved books. As a child I was lucky enough to be presented with books as gifts, we had many books at home and I read anything, Enid Blyton, Noel Streatfield, Kenneth Grahame, Louisa Alcott, (a particular favourite) and even my parents Punch books which had wonderful illustrations and were so funny.

    But of course, we had a wonderful library, living in Coulsdon in my youth, and so often went there and took ages pondering which ones to borrow. I remember also, when in my teens, that one of the librarians was also rather good looking so the... Continue reading

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  • Share Introduction of videos to West Sussex on Facebook Share Introduction of videos to West Sussex on Twitter Share Introduction of videos to West Sussex on Linkedin Email Introduction of videos to West Sussex link

    Introduction of videos to West Sussex

    by Hilary, 29 days ago
    Wendy in Bib Services and I chose which videotapes would be part of the first collection offered by West Sussex Libraries in 1989. We were instructed to choose informative and educational titles rather than feature films because we were not going to compete with high street rental stores. At the time, I was an Assistant Librarian at Worthing Library, in the first year of working in a professional post. I remember being photographed for the local paper holding a video case when the pilot collection launched.
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  • Share 3 Generations at Crawley Library on Facebook Share 3 Generations at Crawley Library on Twitter Share 3 Generations at Crawley Library on Linkedin Email 3 Generations at Crawley Library link

    3 Generations at Crawley Library

    by Sylvia, 29 days ago
    I arrived in Crawley aged 11, from abroad with my family. I had always been an avid reader, but had only been able to bring a few of my much loved books to our new home. Crawley library was a treasure trove of a free, never ending supply of adventures to escape into. Soon the library also became a vital source of non-fiction books, as well as a calm place away from the interruptions of younger siblings, to help me complete my Hazelwick school homework. I loved the peace and the grown-up feeling of working upstairs in the reference library.

    ... Continue reading

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  • Share Avid reading of all Enid Blyton on Facebook Share Avid reading of all Enid Blyton on Twitter Share Avid reading of all Enid Blyton on Linkedin Email Avid reading of all Enid Blyton link

    Avid reading of all Enid Blyton

    by Jackie R , 29 days ago
    First really loved books by taking out masses of Enid Blyton books as a child

    From my local library and reading them avidly.
    I could read before I went to school and hated the Janet and John books I was forced to read at school. I wasn't allowed to go onto the library bookcase until I had read them. I got told off for saying that they were dull to my teacher who wouldn't let me go onto the bookcase books !
    I was told to kneel down and got the ruler whacked on my hands for saying so... Continue reading

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  • Share Whiling away the hours on Facebook Share Whiling away the hours on Twitter Share Whiling away the hours on Linkedin Email Whiling away the hours link

    Whiling away the hours

    by CW, 29 days ago

    While my mother would run errands in the town centre during the school holidays, I remember often finding a comfortable place to sit in the library to read the various graphic novel comic books available while listening to my preferred CD of the day.

  • Share 8.01.2025. The library. A special place in my heart on Facebook Share 8.01.2025. The library. A special place in my heart on Twitter Share 8.01.2025. The library. A special place in my heart on Linkedin Email 8.01.2025. The library. A special place in my heart link

    8.01.2025. The library. A special place in my heart

    by Gillian de Silva, about 1 month ago


    8.01.2025 The library. A special place in my heart.

    The first libraries in England were established in Norwich in1608 and Ipswich in 1612.

    I thought I would research this as I can never remember a time , in my life, without books. My mother, father and grandparents were always reading books, library books. “Libraries must have been around for a long time “ , I thought , but I didn’t realise how long. Wow!

    In fact, the world’s oldest known library is believed to be the Library of Ashurbanipal founded in the 7th Century for the Assyrian ruler of... Continue reading

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  • Share There is nothing like reading a good book! on Facebook Share There is nothing like reading a good book! on Twitter Share There is nothing like reading a good book! on Linkedin Email There is nothing like reading a good book! link

    There is nothing like reading a good book!

    by Shelley68, about 1 month ago

    I’ve been a library member for over 50 years, as soon as I could read I enjoyed being lost in a good book, and still do! It’s was an independent trip, with friends, always on a Saturday morning, going to the library seemed so grown up. I remember the smell of the wooden bookcases and the silence, as I trawled through the children’s fiction section, trying to decide which books to choose, in those days you were only allowed 4 at a time. I remember the sound of the ink stamp, punching in the new date, I always wanted to... Continue reading

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  • Share Our own special place. on Facebook Share Our own special place. on Twitter Share Our own special place. on Linkedin Email Our own special place. link

    Our own special place.

    by Lizzylegs, about 1 month ago

    I was about 4 years old when I first remember going to the library with my Mum. The library in the Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill was still very new and I remember looking up and seeing the glass domes in the ceiling. These were especially exciting when it rained or during a thunderstorm.

    My sister and I would always head for the children's section and climb the three steps up to the raised area and sit on the little wooden stools with the woven tops. It was like our own little world surrounded by the reassuring hug of well stocked... Continue reading

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  • Share For The Love of Books on Facebook Share For The Love of Books on Twitter Share For The Love of Books on Linkedin Email For The Love of Books link

    For The Love of Books

    by AJ99, about 1 month ago

    Those early childhood memories of the delight of knowing it was library day!

    Grandma Clem would find her library ticket and pick up her wicker basket ready for our library trip.
    A short walk to the top road, look left and right at the zebra crossing and there was the portal to a world of books.

    Three short steps up to the double wooden doors and admittance into another cocoon-like world. The hushed atmosphere and the woody, musty, but comforting, smell of the myriad resident books.

    Prim, neat librarian seated at her desk - looking over the top of her... Continue reading

Page last updated: 24 Feb 2025, 09:23 AM