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Monday 10am - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 12pm - 8pm

Belsize Community Library - The Winch

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Belsize Community Library - The Winch

Belsize Community Library is a beautiful space which serves as an important community asset by providing support and activities for all ages.

Belsize Community Library is a beautiful space which has been an important community asset since it was built in 1937. In 2012, the library ceased to be part of the Camden Library Network and transferred into the management of The Winch.

03/09/2026

📚 Discover Bernard Shaw’s Connections to Camden! 📚

Did you know that Nobel Prize-winning playwright George Bernard Shaw had deep roots right here in Camden? Join us for the next talk in our 90th Anniversary Event Series as archivist Tudor Allen (Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre) takes us through the life, work, and local connections of the legendary writer behind Pygmalion, Man and Superman, and Saint Joan.

📅 Date: Thursday, 17 September 2026

⏰ Time: 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7:15 PM)

📍 Location: Belsize Community Library, Antrim Grove, NW3

☕ Refreshments available before the event!

🎟️ Suggested donation: £5 (Cash or Card, includes refreshments)

Everyone is welcome—bring a friend and support your local community library!

👉 Learn more at: www.friendsofbelsizelibrary.org

02/09/2026

🌟 Volunteer Spotlight! 🌟

Lindsay has been such a wonderful part of running our Bright Beginnings sessions at Belsize Community Library, bringing so much energy and heart to our library community. Reflecting on her time with us, she shared:

"I’ve loved every minute of my time volunteering! I got to know so many families and help in a way that I didn't know I could."

Thank you, Lindsay, for every single moment, smile, and helping hand you’ve given to our local families. You’ve made a lasting difference here at Belsize Community Library, and we are so grateful for you! 💫

Welcome to the award-winning Belsize Community Library, a place to read, create, and connect. Run by the Winch, our library is a vibrant hub for people of all ages to explore ideas, meet others, and take part in activities that enrich our community.

In 2025, the library won the Community Heritage Award at the Locality Awards, a national accolade supported by Historic England that recognises community organisations revitalising heritage buildings to enrich the lives of their local community.

In 2012, the Winch rescued the library from closure, preserving its historical significance while maintaining the beautiful space that has been a community cornerstone in Belsize Park for decades.

📚 About Belsize Community Library
Saved from closure by The Winch in 2012, our library is an award-winning community hub where people of all ages come to read, create, and connect. Housed in a cherished historical building, we were proud to win the Community Heritage Award at the 2025 Locality Awards for bringing this vibrant space to life for Belsize Park residents.

📅 See What’s On
From early-years activities to community groups, explore our upcoming sessions and events:
🔗 https://belsizelibrary.org/whats-on/

26/08/2026

We are deeply saddened by the news of Dolly Parton’s passing. Beyond her iconic music, Dolly was a fierce champion of early childhood literacy. Inspired by her own father, who never learned to read, she founded the Imagination Library to ensure that every child no matter their background could grow up surrounded by books.

We are immensely grateful for the gift of her legacy. Through the Imagination Library, we’ve had the privilege of receiving and distributing beautiful books at the Belsize Community Library and also placing them directly into the hands of children and families living in temporary accommodation.

Dolly understood that a book isn't just paper and ink it's a gateway to hope, imagination, and a brighter future. Her generosity has sparked a love of reading in so many of our young people.

❤️✨

12/08/2026

✨ Looking for free, fun family plans this August? ✨

Join us at Belsize Community Library for our Free Library Evenings! Enjoy live storytelling, spoken word, crafts, board games, and creative activities for the whole family. 📚🎨🎲

📅 August Lineup (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Wed, Aug 12: Interactive storyteller & artist Oliver Wallace
Wed, Aug 19: Poet & artist Isabelle Baafi

📍 Where: Belsize Community Library, Antrim Road, London NW3 4XN
🎟️ Cost: FREE — No booking required, just pop in!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who: Perfect for children aged 6–11 and their families, but all ages (infants, teens, parents, carers, and grandparents) are welcome!

Bring your friends, family, or neighbours and spend your Wednesday evenings with us. We can't wait to see you there! 👋✨

Love Camden LB Camden

29/07/2026

✨ Looking for free, fun family plans this August? ✨

Join us at Belsize Community Library for our Free Library Evenings! Enjoy live storytelling, spoken word, crafts, board games, and creative activities for the whole family. 📚🎨🎲

📅 August Lineup (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Wed, Aug 5: Storyteller & Afro-Caribbean folklorist Wendy Shearer
Wed, Aug 12: Interactive storyteller & artist Oliver Wallace
Wed, Aug 19: Poet & artist Isabelle Baafi

📍 Where: Belsize Community Library, Antrim Road, London NW3 4XN
🎟️ Cost: FREE — No booking required, just pop in!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who: Perfect for children aged 6–11 and their families, but all ages (infants, teens, parents, carers, and grandparents) are welcome!

Bring your friends, family, or neighbours and spend your Wednesday evenings with us. We can't wait to see you there! 👋✨

Love Camden LB Camden

16/07/2026

Look what just landed on our shelves! 🥳

We just got a brand new shipment of books, and we couldn't wait to show them off. Pop in to browse our new collection.

24/06/2026

🚨 Important Notice: Belsize Community Library is closed today (Wednesday) 🚨

We have made the difficult decision to keep the library closed today

Yesterday evening, indoor temperatures reached 29.4°C. Without proper cooling, we cannot confidently ensure a safe, comfortable environment for our visitors, staff, and volunteers today. We are so sorry for the inconvenience.

❄️ Looking for a cool space? If you need a dedicated cool space to beat the heat, our neighbouring libraries are open and fully air-conditioned:

Swiss Cottage Library

Queen's Crescent Library (Please note: Kentish Town Library remains closed due to ongoing AC issues).

We will be open next week as usual.

Thank you for your understanding, and please stay safe and hydrated out there!

21/05/2026

Join us for on Wednesday 10th June 6 PM - 8 PM

"The Great British Yarn" is the latest documentary by film director Xaymaca Awoyungbo. It explores the communities behind postbox toppers.

The film explores the talented yarnbombing communities responsible for the toppers to uncover the motivations and challenges associated with their selfless acts of whimsy. The 11 minute film is an ode to British eccentricity, craft and heritage.

By spotlighting a range of people, from a 70-year-old man who owns 260 postboxes on the Isle of Wight to a Ukrainian woman who brought Belsize Park together through a postbox topper that celebrated the area’s diversity, the film focuses on what unites us.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-british-yarn-film-screening-tickets-1989389434351?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1*17ocliv*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTg5MzQyMTE2Mi4xNzc4ODY1MTA1*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*czE3Nzg4NjUxMDQkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzg4NjUxMTMkajUxJGwwJGgw&keep_tld=true

20/05/2026

🎉 Celebrating our young authors! 🎉

A few weeks ago, we officially launched 'The Forest that Saved Us'—a brilliant children’s book written and illustrated by a fantastic group of young creatives as part of our Arts Council project here at the library.

This beautiful book was the culmination of so much hard work from our young writers, our incredible workshop facilitator and author Venessa Taylor, and our talented designer Lucie, who worked magic to turn a varied collection of drawings into a stunning final product!

A massive thank you to everyone who made it possible and put so much thoughtfulness into making it a truly memorable day for these young people.

📖 To get your copy please pop in to the Library

⭐ Book Review Spotlight ⭐

"Adventures laced with some magic are perhaps what we as adults expect children to like to read. It is the formula in books as diverse as Wind in the Willows and Harry Potter. Well, it seems children do want just that.

This delightful book was collaboratively written and illustrated by seven children aged between 8 and 12, ably helped by two older teenagers. It tells the story of a family of a mother and father and their four children flying from America to England when near their destination the plane crashes in a forest. Separated from their parents, the children manage to wander off amongst the trees and get lost.

Their adventures involve encountering an owl, a squirrel, a fox and a swan (interestingly in a forest). And the animals can talk. Fortunately one of the children is able to understand them. Then it turns out that the forest is under threat from loggers with their destructive machinery (echoes of the Amazon here in England) and just as the animals help protect the children who are adrift amongst the trees so the four boys and girls help save the forest.

It is a tale of magic, of a stone circle and mysterious magical carvings, with charming and colourful illustrations. And guess what (spoiler alert!) it has a happy ending."

✍️ Review by Neville Spencer-Lewis, one of our volunteers.

27/04/2026

Celebrating Our Young Authors

We are thrilled to invite you to a very special Book Launch.

WEDNESDAY 6th May
at 5:45pm - 7.30pm

Our talented Young Writers have spent the
last few months collaborating on a brand-new adventure collection, and it’s finally ready for the world to see!

Join us to celebrate their hard work and creativity.

Live readings and a book signing.
Free Copies on a first-come,
first-served basis.

Address

Antrim Road
London
NW34XN

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 6pm
Tuesday	10am - 6pm
Wednesday	12pm - 8pm

Telephone

+442075866746

Website

http://thewinch.org/belsizecommunitylibrary/

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