Stockton Central Library is the largest public library serving the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees. It was established in Church Road in 1969 having moved from smaller premises in Wellington Street. The ground floor incorporates the Tourist Information Centre and a spacious entrance hall used for displays and exhibitions, which leads to the lending libraries and a coffee bar. A lecture theatre is available to book for group meetings.
The adult lending library now includes an inviting children and teenager section, encouraging family visits while the former children's department on the first floor has been refurbished as the Open Technology Centre, providing a wide range of facilties including free access to the internet and the MS Office suite of application software. The Anne Kallagher suite, within the centre, also provides facilties for the visually impaired.
Also housed on the first floor, is the large Reference Library which is the central reference department for the Borough, Stockton's Consumer Advice Bureau, run by the Environmental & Technical Services Department is also on the first floor.
Address: Stockton Central Library, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1TU
*ACCESS THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE ONLINE* Access: Opposite the Library are parking spaces for disabled drivers. There are kerb ramps in front of the library for wheelchairs, then automatic front doors, followed by automatic inner doors. The Lending Library has a specially designed low counter to help wheel chair users. Lift facilities are available up to the first floor and down into the lecture theatre, which has a hearing loop to aid the hearing impaired. A toilet for disabled users is easily accessible and the back door has a ramp for wheelchair access also.
Opening Times:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 9.30 am - 7.00 pm
Thursday & Saturday: 9.30 am - 5.00 pm
All libraries have:Adult, Teenage and Children's Fiction (Story) and Non-Fiction (Fact) Books; Large Print Books; a Core Reference Collection and a Core Local History Collection
All libraries also have access to:CD-ROMs; Language Courses; Open Learning Courses and Sub-titled Videos for the Deaf and Childrens's Videos; Adult/Junior DVDs and Playstation 2 Games.
In addition, Stockton Central Library has: - Audio material including Music CDs and Cassettes; Talking books for Adults; Children's and Teenager's Story Tapes
- Car Parking: The library does not have it's own car park, though there are a small number of free spaces in front of the library for disabled drivers. There are also a number of pay car parks within the town centre. The closest to the library, being Bath Lane and Bishop Street.
- The Book End Cafe: The cafe situate on the ground floor has various snacks and hot and cold drinks available so if you are in the town why not pop in. Click here for the latest menu
- 2 Display Cases: Free Hire - please contact library in advance to book
- 6 Display Boards: 2 Sets of Marler Display Boards: Free Hire. Please contact library in advance to book
- Ethnic material including an Ethnic Book Collection for loan (with some Dual Language books); Ethnic Music CDs and Cassettes plus Ethnic Videos
- Junior Videos and DVD's for hire: £1.50 per week
- X Box and Playstation Games for hire: £2.50 for 2 weeks, fine 50p per day.
- Meeting Room to hire. A booking system is in operation and charges vary depending upon the group and its requirements:1 Lecture Hall - maximum 120 capacity. Refreshment facilities can be arranged in advance or the coffee bar is open, some hours, within library opening times.
- Newspapers and Periodicals for reference in the following languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi and Urdu
- Screen printouts from Library system PC's: 10p per page.
- Theatre tickets, booking facility for Billingham Forum. No extra charge made to book through Libraries.
In addition, at Stockton Central Library, there is a large
Reference Library on the first floor and a Children's library incorporated into the adult lending section, for family borrowing. An
Open Technology & UK Online Centre is situated on the first floor.
