Women with passion for books appointed to run library

TWO new librarians have started work at Wargrave library.

Emma Lawn and Fran Bartlett have replaced Ros Fernley, who left in July.

They are job-sharing but Mrs Lawn is head librarian.

Mrs Lawn, 48, previously worked as a casual librarian across Wokingham borough. Before that, she was a teacher at Shinfield Infant School.

She said: “I’d been teaching for 18 years and thought it was time for a change. I’d always wanted to work in a library or a bookshop so when the casual job came up I thought, ‘I’ll give that a go’ and I loved it.

“When the Wargrave job came up, I applied and I’m really glad I did because I’m really enjoying it.”

Mrs Lawn said her experience as a key stage 1 teacher had made her passionate about children’s literature and encouraging reading from a young age.

“Literacy is really important,” she said. “Anything that they want to read is a good thing — anything which captures their imagination, anything they’re interested in. All that matters is getting that love of reading because once you’ve got that it doesn’t go.”

Mrs Lawn said her 12-year old daughter, Holly, was a big reader.

She said: “I joined the library with her at an early age and she reads all the time, so she has got the love of reading, which I’m glad to have helped instil in her.”

Mrs Lawn wants to increase the library’s role in village life.

She said: “I’d really like to see if we can increase our links with the community, have some more groups start up, that sort of thing.

“It’s about the positive impact we can have on the community and all the different activities that we do that people can come and join in with, like the rhyme times for mums and babies and toddlers, monthly coffee mornings, a couple of craft groups which meet monthly, those sorts of things.

“Also, all the libraries in Wokingham borough are being used as ‘warm banks’ over the winter, so people can come in and sit and read, or bring their laptop and do a bit of work and have somewhere warm and welcoming and completely free to do it. It’s about the only place you don’t have to buy something to come to. We even have a fire.

“I’m also open to suggestions if anyone has any ideas of anything they’d like to start up and have a monthly or fortnightly thing as we can definitely find a slot.”

Mrs Lawn’s favourite author is Margaret Atwood.

She said: “I first read The Handmaid’s Tale when I was 18. I think my favourite of her books are the MaddAddam Trilogy.

“I saw her being interviewed before the pandemic, live on stage, which they showed in the cinema, and she was such a fascinating woman, so clever, so wise.

“I also really enjoyed a book called The Night Circus. I like those quirky books as well.

“I’ve just finished How to Kill Your Family, so every time my family would interrupt me, I would just hold it up, like — are you sure you want to interrupt me? That was really good as well. I never get to read as much as I want because there’s not enough time, so I have a pile by my bed and in my head and people come in and recommend books so the list keeps getting bigger.”

Mrs Bartlett, 29, has worked in a number of Wokingham libraries and also helps co-ordinate volunteers for libraries across the borough.

She said: “I was drawn in by the home library service. From there, a senior position opened in Wargrave and I thought it sounded perfect. It’s such a lovely site and community.

“We have a new rug for the children’s area and new chairs for the study space. It has freshened it up a bit and hopefully it will encourage people to use the space.”

Mrs Bartlett’s favourite book is The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell. “It was very well done,” she said. “Anything historical told from a feminist perspective, I’m interested.”

Mrs Bartlett will be at the library on Mondays and Mrs Lawn on Wednesdays and Fridays. They will work alternate Saturdays.