Bath and North East Somerset Libraries

Behind the Scenes


Read about our collections, the secrets of shelving, our services, and hear directly from staff!

From the Scrapbooks

From the Scrapbooks

For around 30 years between 1964 and the 1990s, Bath Central Library staff collected local newspaper articles concerning the library and museum services. These articles were stuck into scrapbooks and […]
Text and two hands in a heart shape to signify partnership

Working with BookTrust

As the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, BookTrust works with every local authority across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, reaching millions of families with books, resources and support to help […]
A Captivating Collection: An introduction to our Historical Reference Collection

A Captivating Collection

A brief introduction to our Historical Reference Collection The Historical Reference Collection is B&NES Libraries’ largest reference collection, with approximately 21,000 books. The collection spans a multitude of genres, with […]
Staff Spotlight: Marie on Dyslexia

Staff Spotlight: Marie on Dyslexia

Seeing the World Differently: My Dyslexia Journey My name is Marie, and I have lived my whole life with dyslexia, though for many years I didn’t have a name for […]
Fabulous Fashion: An introduction to our Fashion Collection

Fabulous Fashion

An introduction to our Fashion Collection Fashion Museum Bath is the UK’s largest museum dedicated to the transformative power of fashion. The new Fashion Museum will be opening 2030 with […]
Guest Article: Centenary Babies One year on.

Centenary Babies – One Year On

Last July we gifted all babies born in July a special copy of Winnie the Pooh, a title from our Centenary book list, so that they could celebrate 100 years […]
Libraries week: How libraries change lives

Libraries Change Lives

The theme of Libraries Week June 2025 was ‘Libraries Change Lives’ so we asked staff and partners to share a few words about how our libraries have changed lives!
Wonderful Wasōbon: An introduction to the Japanese Collection at Bath Central Library

Wonderful Wasōbon

An introduction to the Japanese Collection at Bath Central Library Here at B&NES Libraries we’re lucky enough to have a historic reference collection with all kinds of books spanning hundreds […]
Secrets of Shelving

Secrets of Shelving

If you’ve ever wondered why Eric Van Lustbader is under ‘L’, but Elizabeth von Armin is under V, what the deal is with Mcs and Macs, or how to decipher […]
What is Libraries at Home Video

What is Libraries at Home?

Our coordinator and volunteers chat about our Libraries at Home Service and volunteering opportunities. Ever wondered what the Libraries at Home Service is? Want to know how to get involved, […]