Aldershot Library

[themonsstar]

Aldershot Library is now open.

Army enthusiasts are now able to regularly view(and borrow) thousands of military books following the installation of a new lift at Aldershot Library.

All visitors will now have access to the largest military collection in this country which is in a public library. The collection is spread over two rooms and boasts 20,000 military titles, CD-ROMS.

For the past few years it has only been available to view every other Saturday morning. But now it is accessible during normal opening hours at the High Street Library Aldershot, Hampshire.

Opening hours:

Monday 10am-7pm.

Tuesday 10am-5pm.

Wednesday Closed all day.

Thursday 10am-7pm.

Friday 10am-5pm.

Saturday 9.30am-4pm.

You can borrow any of the books. today I got out

1. National Union of Teachers War Record 1914-19. 1920.

2. Reminiscences of Incidents--and problems facing young officers in the Kaiser War 1914-18 by E.P.Cawston Lt Col QVR. rtd Jan 23rd 1968.

3. Diary of Eleventh Siege Battery RGA, Now Eleventh Howitzer Battery RGA. no date.

4. Our Part in the World War 1914-18 The British Thomson-Houston Co, Ltd. No date.

5. Battle of the Somme 1916. Memories, Souvenir & Roll of Honour. Editor W.J.Borland Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomany, No3 Observation Group, Field Survey Co. RE.

[Moonraker]

Sounds good. I infer that the books are on open shelves. I like a browse and testing serendipity. Thanks for the update.

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

I visited the special collection yesterday and spotted quite a few books that I was unaware of - one advantage of them being on open shelves. There were several quite valuable ones, which I was able to take downstairs to photocopy - I gather they're security-tagged, so I couldn't have done a runner with them. (I did hand in the Polish passport that someone had left in the machine - wonder what that's worth on the black market; "it happens once a week," sighed the librarian.)

One find was the The Thirty-Ninth Division (no author stated, limited edition of 200 copies), which had a chapter on this AIF unit's time on Salisbury Plain, including two sessions in practice trenches near the Bustard Inn that I had visited recently with another Pal.

The collection is upstairs, but needs to be signed from the ground floor. I was there for four hours, but only a couple of other people wandered in briefly. I gather it's going to be plugged at the Aldershot Military Show in mid-July.

Moonraker

[ChrisC]

Can one join the library on the day, complete all formalities and get browsing? I ask because some local libraries need a week to get back to you and the 'Shot is a bit far just to go to fill out a form.

Chris C

[Moonraker]

Can one join the library on the day, complete all formalities and get browsing? I ask because some local libraries need a week to get back to you and the 'Shot is a bit far just to go to fill out a form.

Chris C

If all you want to do is browse (and photocopy), just walk in; no questions asked - it's a public library. If you want to borrow books, you need to live, work or study in Hampshire. One can register on-line:

here

Moonraker

[ChrisC]

Many thanks Moonraker. I wonder if it counts as having spent some time in Browning Barracks

Chris C