Library of the Month: Fallowfield Community Library
Fallowfield Community Library is located on the ground floor The Place at Platt Lane – the vibrant community resource centre on Platt Lane in Fallowfield. The building was opened in 1932 as a library. The Place is a charity that is managed by a committee made up of people from the local community, one of its members is a young man who has been coming to the library since being a small child, when he was old enough, he started to volunteer, he recognises how important the Place and library is to the community and that is why he is now a good board member.
The library is resourced 19 hours a week with volunteers and library staff to help customers, it offers a great selection of books for all ages and tastes, access to the full library catalogue, free Wi-Fi and computers with printing. The library is open in self service mode at the other times when The Place at Platt Lane – which is seven days a week, with many different activities ran by The Place, including IT sessions, crafts, reading groups, children’s Storytime, age friendly social groups, Lego club, social café just to mention a few’
The library is proud to be part of this fabulous community asset and Manchester libraries work in close partnership with Friends of Fallowfield, The Place committee and One Manchester, to give residents a great service.
Library officers enjoy working alongside the wonderful volunteers, the volunteers are given good training in library and customer care skills, over the years many of the volunteers have gone on to get paid work in libraries. Our well-respected Soujanya started as a library volunteer at Fallowfield community library and now works with Manchester libraries as a library assistant.
The library has close connections with its local schools, and really knows the value in getting the children into the library for library sessions, this year alone the library officers have given introduction to the library sessions and themed visits, as well as attending the school for parent’s evenings for St Kentigern’s Primary, Devine Mercy Primary, Heald Place and St James Primary.
Fallowfield community library is busy during school holidays, the library always runs a children’s craft session, and The Place puts on various children and family-based events and activities. All the activities are well planned and delivered and always free, so offer a wonderful opportunity for the community. We also support the Summer Reading Challenge, with the aim of keeping children reading through the summer school holiday. As well as signing children up to the challenge we run lots of great activities to keep the children focused, this summer the children of Fallowfield got to enjoy events such as Science with NG Bailey, the Dogs Trust with a fun session on dogs and music and rap with Faz Shah. All the summer activities were well attended and enjoyed.
Fallowfield Community Library is a very special little library, and working as part of The Place at Platt Lane, it truly does positively improve and enhance the lives of its community.
Have a look at our virtual tour and website to explore more about Fallowfield Community Library
