An Oral History Project Celebrating 60 years of Swiss Cottage Library
Camden Library Service is running a project to explore the history of the remarkable Swiss Cottage Library which is celebrating it’s 60th year.
The landmark library was designed by renowned architect Sir Basil Spence and is considered one of the most ambitious library designs in the UK and as one of Spence’s most accomplished civic buildings. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on November 10th 1964. In 1997 English Heritage gave the library a Grade II listing.
Over the past sixty years it has welcomed countless people from the local community to come and borrow a book, to read the paper, to revise for exams, or simply to be in the space. It has hosted exhibitions, arts and literacy groups and many more. People have brought their young children to the children’s library, those children have grown up and now bring their own children. Researchers have used the archives that were once housed there and people still come from far afield just to look at the building. More recently it has been used as a warm hub.
Over the years many people have worked at the library. Some starting their careers at 16 and then staying for decades while others have spent shorter periods working there. People have met and married partners while working there. Some who visited as children got their first jobs shelving books.
The last 60 years have seen changes in how the library functions from the old hand stamped books to contactless borrowing and the rise of digital borrowing. There was once a record library where borrowers could find LPs. Where once absolute silence was the rule, now some noise is permitted! There have been several re-designs internally, notably with the children’s library. A low carbon retrofit in 2023 has made the library much more energy efficient to meet the challenges of global warming.
For this project Camden Library Service are teaming up with oral history specialists digital-works. We will be exploring the history from the perspective of the workers as well as the library users. Oral history interviews will be recorded for the project with the full interviews given to Camden Archives. These interviews will also be filmed and used with archive footage and images to create a documentary film.
This project has been made possible with funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy and the Primrose Hill Ward Councillors.
Archive photos © CLSAC
Would you like to share your stories for an Oral History Project exploring stories from 60 Years of Swiss Cottage Library?
We are looking for people who have worked at or used the library at any time from the 1960s to the present.
For those who worked at the library we would like to hear about things such as how you got the job. Was it a first job? What the job meant for you? In what ways has it has changed over the years and any stories and incidents from your time there.
For library users, what has the library meant to you? We know that many local people grew up going to the library, then took their own children and grandchildren there. For others it's a place where they feel they belong, not just a place for learning but for social interaction, a place to pop in to read the newspaper or a magazine . A quiet space for research and revision, but also a space for exhibitions and classes. A community hub. We want to hear from you.
So whether you are a library worker or a user, or both. Whether your experiences go back to the 1960s or are much more recent, come along to share your reflections, stories and experiences . The interviews will be taking place in September 2025 and will be recorded and put into Camden’s archives and also used to make a documentary film.
You’ll be making history in this fun and fascinating project.
To find out more please contact:
Matthew Rosenberg
e mat@digital-works.co.uk
t 07949 107023
Would you like to be part of a team on an Oral History Project uncovering stories from 60 Years of Swiss Cottage Library?
We are inviting people to join this exciting project. You will be part of a team, attend talks from historians and architects, go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the library, receive training in oral history techniques and develop skills in interviewing and audio recording. After training you will be supported to interview librarians and library users from the 1960s to the present day leading to the production of a documentary film.
You will need to be available for three training days [September 1st, 2nd and 3rd, from 10am to 4pm] plus two of four interview days [September 11, 12, 18, 19]. All sessions will take place at Swiss Cottage Library.
All welcome! No experience needed. Expenses covered
To find out more please contact:
Sav Kyriacou
sav@digital-works.co.uk
