Wallington Library opened on 3 October 1936 and lent more than 121,000 items last year, 75,000 of them for children. Its history, hours and what it offers.
Wallington Library has turned 90. The library on Shotfield first opened on 3 October 1936, and it marked the anniversary with a birthday event on Saturday, exactly 90 years to the day. (Sutton Council)
It is still busy. Wallington is the second most visited library in the borough, with nearly 10,000 active members. In the past year, visitors borrowed more than 121,000 items. More than 75,000 of those were children’s books and games. (Sutton Council)
What happened at the birthday
The council’s account of Saturday’s event lists:
- a talk by author Jacqueline Crooks, who wrote Skyward City and leads the Sutton Women’s Network Writing Club
- a talk by TV gardener Charlie Dimmock on how growing plants helps mental health
- classic pop hits from the Sing Out Sutton choir
- a heritage exhibition put together with Sutton’s Archives and Museums
The daughter of the library’s first librarian, William J. Hill, was among those marking the day. “I joined this library when I was a day old, so pleased was my father to have a daughter,” she told the council. “I have been a member for 83 years and have used it all my life, and it’s still a joy.”
Council leader Cllr Barry Lewis said the library was “much more than a place for books”. He said: “Reaching 90 years shows just how important it is to everyone here.”
Ninety years in the building
The building has changed a lot since 1936. The council’s history of it includes some surprises.
- Second World War: its basement housed telephone workers.
- 1957: the library survived a homemade bomb blast.
- 1980s: major renovations added a gallery space and a conservatory.
- 2000s: the Mallinson Room was restored and the quiet Garden of Memories was created.
What it means for you
Wallington Library is open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and from 9am to 6pm on Sunday. Staff are on hand from 9am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday. (Sutton Libraries)
Outside staffed hours, it runs as a self-access library. That covers all of Monday and Sunday, and early mornings and evenings on the other days. To use it then:
- you need to be a library member
- you need to complete an induction first
- you scan your library card at the entrance and enter your PIN
- only the ground floor is open
The café is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 3pm. The library has a dedicated children’s library, study spaces, free wifi, printing and scanning, an audiobook collection and meeting rooms. It is fully accessible, with a lift to the first floor and an accessible toilet. There is a public car park next door with disabled spaces. (Sutton Libraries)
The address is Wallington Library, Shotfield, Wallington SM6 0HY. The phone number is 020 8770 5000. Opening hours can change at short notice, so check the library’s own page before a special trip.
If you are driving into Wallington, our parking in Sutton page covers the borough’s car parks. For other things to do this month, see what’s on in Sutton.
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