THE closure of Basingstoke’s main library for repairs and alterations last week has made many people realise just how important this service is to the town.

Books have always been an essential way of educating and entertaining the public through the medium of libraries, even as far back as Biblical times during the Egyptian era, when tablets of stone and scrolls of papyrus gave people the news and notices.

Libraries were formed and destroyed. Julius Caesar, for instance, set fire to the city of Alexandria and destroyed some 400,000 manuscripts in the library there.

Basingstoke had very little public access to books until the 19th century, and that was through the various institutes and schools which were established at that time.

One such place was the Mechanics Institute, in Cross Street, which was built in 1841. In 1870, a larger building was constructed in New Street for the education of the people in engineering and other trades.

In 1910, it was enlarged into a library that boasted some 4,000 books.

In September 1928, the borough council took over the Mechanics Institute, and on December 3 that year, Basingstoke’s first public library was opened by Sir William Portal of Laverstoke.

The library was laid out on the ground floor. Upstairs, a private residence was fitted out for the librarian, Mr F. Boland. Three years later, the upper room was converted into a museum.

Over the years, the library acquired many readers, and book issues increased as the population grew.

Throughout the Second World War, many more books were loaned out because people spent so much time sitting in air raid shelters waiting for the German bombers to pass overhead.

With only candlelight to see by, books were one of the few items which could be looked at and enjoyed.

In 1943, the New Street library loaned some 70,000 books to adults and 15,000 to children.

After the war, in 1947, Mr George White, the first professional librarian, was appointed. His guidance gave the library a popular and friendly atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the town had gained some private libraries – Boots the Chemist in London Street, WHSmith in the Market Place, the Chain Library at 31 Church Street, and Mrs Kemp’s tobacconist shop at 6 Queens Parade, off New Street.

Hampshire County Council took over the running of the library and, in 1961, designated it as the regional headquarters for the county library’s north region.

The Town Development Scheme of 1962 led to a massive alteration of the town centre and the construction of new shops and offices. The result was that the library was moved into premises in the new shopping centre.

It was officially opened by the Rt Hon Harold MacMillan on November 10, 1969.

The New Street building was eventually converted into a job centre after the museum moved to the old Town Hall in 1983.

The new library continued to issue books, both fiction and nonfiction.

The system of tickets in the books was maintained at the library.

Then, in July, 1985, the tickets were replaced with computer-readable cards, which were kept by the readers themselves.

At the new library, far more staff were needed to run the establishment.

Besides the divisional librar-ian, Mr Paul Dix, there were section heads for the various book departments, such as the children’s and reference sections.

Two other local libraries opened up after the new main one – South Ham in November 1970, and Chineham in June 1984.

Mobile library vehicles visited outlying areas.

Over the years, the lending library has loaned other items besides books, including long-playing records, tapes, CDs, video tapes and DVDs.

Times have changed since Julius Caesar’s days.

It would be interesting to know what he thought of the present libraries, if