Friends of the William Salt Library were formed to support the preservation of this unique library, which forms a vital part of Staffordshire’s heritage. The library consists of the William Salt Library Collection of historic manuscripts, books, maps and prints etc. Also the listed Georgian building which houses much of the collection. Together, they form a rare survival of such an historic library, which is of national interest.
Through an annual programme of social events, the Friends raise funds to assist the Library in the ongoing task of preserving and conserving its collections and in the acquisition of new stock.
Volunteers assist in the improvement of the Library’s finding aids and in the practical task of cleaning and repackaging items from the collections.
Contact Details: Chairman: Mr David Jacques
Contact number: (01785) 851711 Email: [email protected]
Secretary: Margaret George
Contact number: (01889) 882472 Email: [email protected]
Treasurer: Jenni Maslin
Contact number: 01785 247202 Email: [email protected]
If you would like to become a member then please contact the Treasurer for an application form. Annual subscription is £8 and life time membership costs £100.
Website: www.williamsalt.org.uk
Click here to view a map to the William Salt library
Presentation December 4, 2011
Staffordshire Heritage Group and Friends of the William Salt Library, presented retiring County Archivist Thea Randall with a large slipware charger, depicting scenes of Staffordshire and her dates in office. This was made by local Potter, Carole Glover. The photo shows Chairman of the Friends of the William Salt Library, David Jacques, presenting the charger.
Help Save The William Salt Library July 21, 2015 - 5:10 pm
Staffordshire History Centre Secures Stage 1 Heritage Lottery Funding
June 8, 2016
The Staffordshire Heritage Group would like to thank you all for your support in our long negotiations regarding our bid to save the William Salt Library building. Thanks to you and the hard work of many others, the building will now be part of the new History Centre. Discussions will continue for the next year or so to prepare for the second stage of the bid. We will endeavour to protect the identity of the Salt Library within the old building.
Staffordshire History Centre Project – from Joanna Terry, Head of Archives and Heritage
I am delighted to inform you that the Heritage Lottery Fund considered Staffordshire County Council’s and William Salt Library’s application to fund the Staffordshire History Centre Project on 24 May and have agreed to award us a stage 1 pass.
The proposed new centre will create a two-storey link between the Staffordshire Record Office and the William Salt Library in Stafford.
The new centre will hold records up to 1,000 years old, as well as having a new community exhibition space, modern search rooms and strong rooms to provide storage for an additional 25 years of future collections.
Existing records currently held at the Lichfield Record Office and the William Salt Library will be moved into the new centre and more records will continue to be made available online. A new local and family history access point will also be created in Lichfield Library where people can access a range of digital collections
The grant, if awarded to the Staffordshire County Council, will be split into two phases, development phase and delivery phase. For the development phase we will receive £333,350. This funding will enable the development of the project to the stage 2 bid after which, if we are successful, we will begin the building work and delivery of activities.
The competition was very fierce and so this is a really amazing achievement for the project. It reflects the amount of work, commitment and consultation that the Project Board, Project team and partners have put in to ensure that our new bid was exciting, inspiring, robust, and sustainable.
https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/leisure/archives/OurVision/Our-Vision.aspx.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for helping us to secure this successful outcome, your input in helping to shape the bid was invaluable.