Shadwell Library, Arts Centre & Café

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Shadwell Library, Arts Centre & Café

Love our little library? Like our page! Please see our Facebook posts for library and cafe opening times. NOW- Shadwell INDEPENDENT Library.

Our Grade 2 listed library was taken over by volunteers in January 2013 and since then it was become a valuable asset to the community. Current opening hours:
Mon:15.00-17.00
Tues: Closed
Weds: 10-12
Thurs: 15.00-17.00
Fri:closed
Sat: 10.00 - 12.00
Sun: Closed and Closed Bank Holidays
email;[email protected]
See you there :)

04/09/2026

It’s lovely to be back! ☕🍰📚

The Hardback Café reopened this week after our summer break, and it was lovely to welcome back some familiar faces — as well as some new ones.

If you haven’t been in for a while, come and see us for coffee, homemade cake, lunch and a good natter. 😊

Tuesdays 11am–1.30pm (except the second Tuesday of the month)
Fridays 11.30am–2pm

Everyone welcome.

03/09/2026

A Brief History of Surgery – from ancient techniques to modern medicine

🎟️ FREE – pre-booking is essential

Did you know Leeds has played an important part in the development of modern surgery?

As part of Heritage Open Days 2026, we’re delighted to welcome Leeds consultant neurosurgeon Jake Timothy to Shadwell Library for what promises to be a fascinating evening.

From ancient surgical techniques to modern neurosurgery… Jake will take us through the remarkable evolution of surgery, including developments here in Leeds.

📅 Thursday 17 September
🕖 7.00pm
📍 Shadwell Library
🎟️ FREE – but places must be booked in advance

📧 To reserve your place, email:
[email protected]

Please feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested.

29/08/2026

🎉 We’re delighted and honoured to have been selected for Skipton Building Society’s Community Giving scheme!

Shadwell Independent Library is one of three local good causes chosen by the Wetherby branch—and your vote could help us receive a donation of up to £1,000.

The funding would help us invest in essential equipment, including a much-needed new fridge for our community cafés and upgraded projector equipment for talks and events at the library.

Voting takes place in person at Skipton Building Society’s Wetherby branch from Monday 7 September until 4.30pm on Friday 2 October.

If you’re visiting Wetherby, please pop in and vote for Shadwell Independent Library. Every vote really could make a difference—thank you! 💚

28/08/2026

📚 What’s On at Shadwell Library next week

A little advance notice this week as we’ll be CLOSED on Bank Holiday Monday – and the Crafters are taking the day off too. So if you need to stock up on books or jigsaws for the long weekend, we’re open tomorrow (Saturday) 10am–12 noon. 📚🧩

Then on Tuesday, there’s something we’ve been looking forward to…

☕ The Hardback Café is back! 🥳

After our August break, our Tuesday café reopens 1 September, 11am–1.30pm, followed by the return of our Friday café on 4 September, 11.30am–2pm. We’re looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces again – and hopefully some new ones too.

And talking of new faces… could you lend us a hand? 🥰

The Hardback Café is run entirely by volunteers and we’d love a few more people to join our friendly team. You don’t have to commit to every week – we have a rota and volunteers simply let us know when they’re available.

We’re particularly looking for someone who could spare around half an hour from 2pm on Fridays to help stack and put away our tables and chairs. If café shifts aren’t really your thing but you could occasionally provide a bit of muscle at closing time, we’d be very pleased to hear from you! 💪

Interested in that – or in helping with the café generally? Just send us a message or have a word with one of us when you’re in.

Please feel free to share – our next volunteer might be someone you know. 💙

17/08/2026

📚 We’re back – and perhaps a quieter August week is the perfect time to simply enjoy the library!

There may not be quite as much in the diary while everyone (including our Hardback Café volunteers!) enjoys a summer break, but there are still plenty of reasons to pop in.

Browse for some holiday reading, borrow a jigsaw or two, let younger visitors enjoy our children’s corner – and we’ll even make you a free tea or coffee, with a biscuit, while you browse. ☕🍪

And, of course, our Crafters Group gets the week underway on Monday afternoon.

Sometimes you don’t need an event… just a friendly place to spend a little time. 😊

16/08/2026

📚 All back together and ready to welcome you!

The floor treatment has gone to plan, everything is back where it belongs and Shadwell Library reopens tomorrow. 😊

A big thank you to everyone who helped with the clearing and putting everything back together – including William Neale, who got roped in to provide the required muscle (and even brought reinforcements!). 💪😊 – and thank you for bearing with us while we gave our lovely old building a little TLC.

See you tomorrow! 💙

08/08/2026

🪵 And so the work begins…

We’ve spent this afternoon clearing the main library room ready for the floor to be treated and stained next week. The main bookshelves are staying firmly where they are, but otherwise it’s looking rather different!

Meanwhile, the kitchen currently resembles the inside of a removal lorry as we’ve temporarily found homes for tables, chairs and everything else that normally lives in the main room. 😂

A huge thank you to William Neale for doing the heavy lifting today – very much appreciated! 💪

It will all be worth it when it’s done, and we’re looking forward to putting everything back where it belongs.

A reminder that the library building is now closed and will remain closed throughout next week while the work is carried out. We’ll reopen on Monday 17 August.

Thank you for your patience while we give our historic building a little TLC. 💙📚

05/08/2026

📚 A little TLC for our historic library…

Shadwell Library will close after its normal Saturday morning opening (12 noon) on Saturday 8 August while our beautiful Grade II listed building undergoes some essential maintenance. The main library floor is being professionally treated and stained to help preserve it for many years to come.

We’re pleased to be able to carry out this work thanks to income from the Hardback Café, library events and room hire, together with the valued support of Shadwell Parish Council. This is exactly what that income is for – helping us care for this special building for the benefit of the whole community.

The library will reopen as usual on Monday 17 August.

Thank you for helping us preserve a building that has been at the heart of Shadwell since 1813. 💙📚

04/08/2026

👮‍♀️ Meet your local neighbourhood police officers this Thursday

Did you know that West Yorkshire Police Leeds North East hold a regular Police Contact Point at Shadwell Library every six weeks?

📅 Thursday 6 August
🕓 4.00pm – 5.00pm
📍 Shadwell Library

There’s no need to make an appointment – just call in for an informal chat.

Whether you have a concern about something you’ve noticed in the area, would like some crime prevention advice, have a question about local policing, or simply want to meet your neighbourhood officers, you’ll be made very welcome.

We’re fortunate that Shadwell is a safe village, but that’s something we all have a part in maintaining. The Police Contact Point is a great opportunity to keep in touch with your local officers and raise any issues, however small they may seem.

We look forward to welcoming you to the library on Thursday.

03/08/2026

📚 Here’s what’s happening at Shadwell Library this week (week commencing 3 August).

Although the Hardback Café is taking a well-earned summer break, there’s still plenty happening at the library.

📖 We’re open as usual on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday morning.

🎲 Our monthly Scrabble Group is meeting on Wednesday at 1.30pm – a week earlier than usual because of the temporary library closure.

👮‍♀️ Our regular Police Contact Point will be at the library on Thursday from 4.00–5.00pm. No appointment is needed – just call in for an informal chat with your local officers.

🪵 Please note that after the library closes at 12 noon on Saturday 8 August, the building will temporarily close for essential floor restoration work. We’ll reopen on Monday 17 August.

We look forward to seeing you during the week! 💙📚

Address

99 Main Street, Shadwell
Leeds
LS178HL

Telephone

0113 2656450

Website

http://www.shadwell-library.org.uk/

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