A FOLLOW UP ON THE WOODBURY LIBRARY

​Last week’s column was about the Eleanor Howard Tripp Memorial Library that stands on a prominent corner of Woodbury’s main road.  I received a copy of a newsletter that I thought was relevant in terms of the ongoing life of such treasured buildings within a community.
This Library was gifted to the community when it was completed in 1936 after Eleanor’s death.  It is cared for, funded and staffed by local volunteers and there are many ongoing costs involved in terms of maintenance and insurances.  Its existence relies on what can be raised from raffles and, perhaps, donations.
As well as working to maintain the library these volunteers do an amazing job in also caring for the section, gardens and the War Memorial that stands in front of the library. 
Coming up this year, on Saturday the 4th of April, there will be a book fair and boot sale to be held at the Woodbury Hall to help with fundraising.  It runs from 9am till 12 noon.  This would be an enjoyable outing, as well as supporting a great cause it would be a chance for those interested to have a look around the Hall and Domain, St Thomas’s Church and the Memorial Library at the same time.
The history room at the library is open on the first Sunday of each month between the hours of 11am to 2pm and would be an interesting place to while away a couple of hours. The building itself has a solar power unit installed to help reduce lighting costs.
As I mentioned in last week’s column, during her lifetime Eleanor began a library for the staff who worked at her home at Orari Gorge Station. Owing to a misinterpretation on my behalf I need to correct a mistake I made in last weeks column, the books from Eleanor’s station library are all catalogued and listed as part of a private family library at her home station. 
Karen Rolleston