Librarians Recommend 2020
It's a new year and we've been looking back on all the books we read in 2020. With online literature festivals (including Richmond LitFest), a huge September-October publishing boom, a…
Banned Books Week 2020
This week is Banned Books Week 2020! Banned Books Week is an initiative spearheaded by the American Library Association (ALA) that occurs every year to highlight the importance of the…
R D Blackmore (1825-1900) – [Local History Notes: 19]
R D Blackmore Richard Doddridge Blackmore was born on 7 June 1825 in Longworth, Berkshire, where his father, John Blackmore, was Curate-in-charge of the parish. Only a few months after…
Hogarth House, Richmond – [Local History Notes: 13]
Abraham Cropp, a man of considerable wealth, died at his home in Paradise Row in 1744 (1). He owned two adjoining houses, a coach house and stables. His widow, Susanna…
Favourite Books of 2019
It's a new year, and you may have seen all the new reading challenges being shared by people keen to read more in 2020. People are aiming to read 10,…
The Shell Guides: a short history
Introduction In 1933 John Betjeman, who was then working for Architectural Review magazine, came up with the idea for a series of county guides. He conceived the guides as an…
Save money with Richmond upon Thames libraries
You probably know that your library can offer you a selection of books, and that loaning books, CDs and DVDs from the library is cheaper than buying them. You may…
A letter to Albert Barkas, Chief Librarian
I found a letter, sent to Albert Barkas, glued into our copy of the book The Private Palaces of London. The letter was sufficiently intriguing to prompt some detective work into…
Bibliotherapy: reading for health
Search self-help in the libraries' catalogue or in a book shop and you will find hundreds of publications. From anxiety, self-esteem and grief to mindfulness, self-care and cognitive behavioural therapy…
Skira, Phaidon and Thames & Hudson: 3 Art Publishers
In Richmond upon Thames Libraries we hold a wide range of books on the history of art, design and architecture. Amongst the collection there are older books held in the…