Rock Road Library © Michael Large (2021)

Rock Road Library, Cambridge

History of Rock Road Library

For the history of Rock Road Library, visit:

Library History

The opening of Rock Road Library, Cambridge

Sketching Cambridge by Michael Large

See also Friends of Rock Road Library Trails.

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1936 05 21 — Rock Road Library opened

At the opening of the new Rock Road library the Mayor said that in these difficult times it was important that there should be in every district a building which would help to circulate the best ideas and information for the guidance of residents. In the days to come the building will become more and more the intellectual home of the people who live around it. All would agree it was the right policy to encourage children to use it. He regretted the absence of a representative of the Carnegie Trust, which had helped with the money for the library

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Cherryhinton Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990, reference 36 05 21a.

1936 05 23 — Successful start for the new library

Mr W.A. Fenton, the Borough Librarian, has seen a tremendous growth in the reading public since he took office. The new Rock Road Library has had an excellent start-off this week. When I looked in last night I found a continuous flow of adults and juveniles. The children’s reading room was practically full and some boys to whom I spoke assured me that everything was quite all right. Work on a new branch library at the corner of Milton Road and Ascham Road will begin almost immediately. The site appears to be an ideal one and new building should be complete before 1937 is very far advanced

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Cherryhinton Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990, reference 36 05 23c.

1945 09 14 — Wartime incendiary at the library

More about Cambridge air raids; some remarkable escapes; bombs which failed to explode – a large book in Guildhall might be placed in Library, the official record of enemy air activity; incendiary n roof of Rock Road library; incidents in county

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Cherryhinton Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990, references 45 09 14a, 14b.

1960 03 18 — Children’s story sessions

Ninety small boys and girls flock to Rock Road library every Thursday to hear stories read by Miss Kathleen Asbery, the recently-appointed children’s librarian. She visited a school’s youngest infant class and when told she was from the library one small girl asked “Is she here because we have some books missing?” “It seems awful that children should think of librarians as ogres who stand behind counters, stamp books and charge them a penny for a late-returned item”, Kate said

Credit: Mike Petty Archive, Cambridge Cherryhinton Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990, reference 60 03 18.