Loddon Library clocks up 40 years

Anthony Carroll About 100 book lovers gathered in Loddon to celebrate their library's 40th birthday.

Anthony Carroll

About 100 book lovers gathered in Loddon to celebrate their library's 40th birthday.

Library members and past staff attended a birthday party at the Church Plain library and cheered as a cake was cut by Joy Edwards, who has been regularly taking out books for the last 40 years.

Mrs Edwards, 78 and who lives in Hales and loves historical biographies, said: “The library is brilliant. It is like having a second home.”

Loddon's library is housed in part of a flint building which dates back to the 1850s.

In 1976 the building was damaged by a severe gale, which caused its chimney stack to fall through the roof.

It was extended in the 1990s and was given a �55,000 overhaul in 2008.

In 1970 the library was opened by Norfolk County councillor Adrian Gunson who had been elected for Loddon in that year.

At Saturday's birthday celebrations he said: “I remember the library opening well as it was one of my first official duties as a newly-elected county councillor.

“There was definitely a sense of excitement in the village about the new library providing a local service that gave people in Loddon and the surrounding villages the opportunity to choose from thousands of books.

“I know the library is valued by the local community just as much now as it was then.

“As a keen supporter of the library, I have always been very grateful of its staff, who do a marvellous job and put a great deal of care and work into making it a welcoming and enjoyable place to be.”

The event was also attended by Jan Constable, who has just retired as the library's manager.

To mark the 40th milestone, the library displayed photos of itself and Loddon over the last 40 years and organised children's activities based on picture book character Mog the Forgetful Cat, who is also 40 this year.