Towards the end of the 1960’s, there was a real surge in demand for books at Blantyre Library by both adults and children alike.
In October 1967 there were 8,701 registered users able to take out books, but by December that same year, the figure had hugely increased to 9,393. The number of people taking out records had steadily increased too from just over 400 to over 500. An increase in non fiction reading was assessed as one of the factors, particularly by children in the junior library to the left as you came into the building. Anybody have any ideas what could have prompted such an increase in interest in those months?
The number of books out at any one time in December 1967 was around 7,000.
Blantyre Library is photographed in 2005 by Robert Stewart.