Library has had shelf life of 80 years

LEITH Library is marking its 80th birthday with a bonanza of literary events this week.

The new Town Hall and Library was built to fulfil a promise by the City Council when Leith was amalgamated into the Capital, opening its doors on July 20, 1932.

The community hub now boasts a registrar’s office, a wedding suite and a surgery for council inquiries, but its main function remains providing local residents with access to books and information.

Reading groups, bookbugs sessions, crafts for kids, free computer classes and even a knitting group are now run from the Ferry Road building.

To celebrate its milestone anniversary, a series of events are taking place throughout the next week, including a creative writing workshop on Tuesday, and a Leith Time Bank scheme on Friday.

At 1pm on Friday it will be transported back to the 1930s with a photo exhibition of the building through the ages and library artefacts on display.