Potted History

It has been well said that "FOOD FOR THE MIND IS AS NECESSARY AS FOOD FOR THE BODY" and of all municipal activities, the work of the Public Library starts out as particularly ministering to the supply of "food for the mind"

- Borough of Todmorden Public Library Journal No.1, October 1931

Before the library we know today existed, there had been various other libraries in the locality, such as that of Todmorden Botanical Society (1852) and the Todmorden Mechanics Institute (1836).

The first library in Todmorden was the Todmorden Subscription Library, known as the Old Library, that was established in 1798 (when exactly it disbanded is unclear, but a copy of its catalogue held by the current library lists publications going up to 1884). It met at 7-9pm on the full moon at the Golden Lion Inn (though members could appoint an alternative venue). It presents as being more a kind of literary group with regular meetings, certainly quite dissimilar to a public library in the recognisable sense.
Following the subscription library, the Todcarr library was founded in 1817 and met at the Shoulder of Mutton Inn.

The library as we know it today was constructed by Todmorden Industrial and Co-operative Society, the architect being a Mr T.H.Mitchell, the design in the 17th century Renaissance style.

The first foundation stones for the library were laid ceremoniously on August 22nd 1896 by William Johnson, president of the Co-operative Society. This act was the first event of Charter Day - a huge celebration marking Todmorden's successful application for a Charter of Incorporation and thus becoming the Borough of Todmorden. The occasion also coincided with the Co-operative societies Jubiliee.
A procession marched through the town headed by the Todmorden brass band to the site of the library where the stones were laid. The library still has the ceremonial trowel used to perform this task.

The library opening took place on November 27th 1897. This again involved a procession through the town accompanied by brass band. According to the Todmorden and Hebden Bridge Almanac, "The procession was watched by thousands of people who crowded the footpaths and manifested great interest in the proceedings".
The door was unlocked by Councillor Omerod with a gold key. John Barker, chairman of the Co-operative Society Educational Committee, formally offered Councillor Omerod the books in the library, presented him with a "handsomely bound" copy of the library catalogue and handed him the title deeds to the land and building. Thus was the library given to the people of Todmorden to use and benefit from.

When it opened, the library had a catalogue of about 11,000 volumes. The contributors were:
Co-operative society - 8700
Bridge Street Sunday School - 498
Coun. William Omerod -464
Botanical Society - 400
Scientific Association - 125
Manchester Atheraeum - 50

By 1932, the library held 30,000 books, the stock rising to 45,000 in 1971. The current catalogue is 33,000 items including DVDS and CDS, with books comprising 18568 lrnding books and 1568 reference volumes. There was a change to the system in the mid 1970s when Todmorden became part of the Borough of Calderdale, leading to the library being incorporated into the branch network whereby books are rotated between branches as opposed to the library just having its own stock. This allowed users to be able to freely access books from any branch in the borough until April 2011 when it was decided to charge users £1 each time they order a book from another branch.

When it first opened, the library was a little different to how we experience it today. "STRICT SILENCE" was demanded for the library and reading room. Prose and fiction could be borrowed for 7 days, 14 days being allowed for other catagories - only one work at a time could be borrowed.
Strange as it may seem today, library users were originally not free to browse the books on the shelves as we do today. Instead, users made their selections from copies of the library catalogue that were left out for them to browse. their selection would then be taken from the shelves by the librarian (in 1897 this was a Mr Thomas Sutcliffe), the touching of books on the shelves by any user being forbidden.
the Library Journal for the fourth quarter of 1932 refers to an "open access system" being introduced that made "personal selection possible" as opposed to "speculative selection from a catalogue".

As a consequence, issues were "remarkable" - the library boasted about 200,000 issues for 1931-32. This contrasts with 89353 issues for 2010-11. At this time, the population of Todmorden was 22223, 5869 residents reported as being library users.

Sources:

Todmorden Public Library Journal 1-26. The journal was apparently given free to members and presented lists of new additions to stock as well as various articles and essays broadly but not exclusively themed around literary matters.
The Todmorden and Hebden Bridge Almanac 1896-97
Borough of Todmorden Free Library Catalogue 1897
Rules and Catalogue of the Todmorden Subscription Library
Borough of Todmorden 75th Anniversary booklet

Thanks to the ever helpful library staff and Mr Priestley of Todmorden Antiquarian Society for their assistance.