KEY SOURCES

BOOKS The Intellectual life of the British Working Class This book by Jonathan Rose ( Yale University Press, 2010) explores British working- class experiences of selfimprovement and learning.

Lipsticks and Library Books; The Story of Boots Booklovers Library Jackie Winter (2016) uncovers the history of the hugely popular Boots Library.

ORAL HISTORY It’s not easy to find historic personal stories relating to public libraries, so you’ll need to be imaginative. Try the Mass Observation archive ( www.massobs.org.uk) or ask older relatives what their local library meant to them. To start the conversation, research fiction titles published in different decades to see if a quick plot summary or character’s name will open that door to longforgotten memories. Do they remember the card system for recording loans?

ARCHIVES Search The National Archives Discovery catalogue ( discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk) to find documents such as council minutes, ledgers and building plans, which are usually held at local archives, now often located within the public library. City plans and street directories will help to build a picture of the library’s surroundings and status.

NEWSPAPERS Search the British Library Newspaper Archive ( britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk), or access it via Ancestry or Findmypast subscription. Eighteenth century newspapers published lists of new books added to circulating libraries. Find reports of senior staff changes or civic ceremonies especially in the late 19th century, when many new libraries were opened to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

FILM Watch a 20-minute film about Burnley Public Library in 1949 from the North West Film Archive, available online at bit.ly/2k4qzDj.