Okehampton Library is on a mission to uncover its history as Libraries Unlimited marks 100 years since Devon's first local authority-funded library service was established.

The library is asking residents to share their memories of it as part of the county-wide centenary celebrations organised by Libraries Unlimited, which runs 54 libraries and four mobile libraries across the county.

Alex Kittow, chief executive of Libraries Unlimited, said: "Over the past 100 years, public libraries have been not just a free source of knowledge, but welcoming community hubs of activity and information.  

"The creation of Libraries Unlimited in 2016 was ground-breaking and has been an outstanding success. Not only do we run the public libraries which enable people to borrow books, we also deliver a year-round programme of cultural events and activities, support for local businesses and entrepreneurs, wellbeing initiatives and educational provision.

"This centenary is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how far we've come, and to look towards the future. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved but we've got big ideas and even bigger ambitions. We are dedicated to continuing to invest in our service to fulfil our core mission: enriching lives and building communities."  

The Devon County Library Service was launched in 1924 to provide a single county-wide service, giving all residents free access to books. Before then, many of Devon's scattered community libraries were operated by subscription, aligned to institutions such as the church, or funded by individual local authorities from people's "rates".  

Libraries Unlimited assumed responsibility for Devon County Council's library services in 2016, followed by Torbay's in 2018. The charity library model pioneered in Devon was a game-changer and was endorsed nationwide by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The Board of Libraries Unlimited includes staff, library users, members of the community, and business and independent experts. This structure has helped Libraries Unlimited thrive during tough economic times by securing funding from other charities, trusts, various government departments, and private donors, in addition to the standard local authority grants.

For more information about the celebrations, visit https://www.librariesunlimited.org.uk/news/100years/