A new chapter begins; Black Country Living Museum brings historic Woodside Library back to life

18/03/2026

A beloved Black Country landmark is opening its doors once again. As part of their multi‑million‑pound 1940s-1960s development, Black Country Living Museum has moved and rebuilt Woodside Library, brick-by-brick, to the heart of its new town.

From Wednesday 18 March, visitors will be able to step inside the restored library for the first time, exploring shelves stacked with more than 6,500 donated and collected books spanning from how‑to guides and classic fiction to children’s favourites including Enid Blyton, Ladybird books and Biggles adventure stories.

Detailed research, along with objects and memories shared by the local community, have helped bring the building back to life. The library’s story will centre on 1963, a standout year when Dudley’s libraries embraced colourful new paperbacks, expanded gramophone collections, and introduced innovative children’s reading initiatives.

A highlight is the story of librarian Mr. ‘Tom’ Tarry and the Dudley Library Circle, founded in 1962 to inspire young readers. Mr. Tarry was passionate about encouraging children to read. He wanted reading to be a life-long, valuable habit and set up the circle with the aim of nurturing the love of reading from a young age. His Weit’o badge scheme, the first of which was awarded at Woodside Library, was exclusively given to children who could demonstrate knowledge of what they had read. This Weit’o badges became so successful they gained national media attention and saw more than 500 children join within months.

Carol King, Deputy Chief Executive at Black Country Living Museum, said: “Woodside Library forms the jewel in the crown of our extensive 1940s-60s development. We’re incredibly proud to have worked with so many communities, investors and stakeholders to save this iconic building and bring it back to life here at the Museum. Without their support, this simply would not have been possible.

We’re especially grateful to those who have helped us populate the library’s shelves with books, as well as those who shared their memories of the library with us to help bring the story to life faithfully.

Not only is it an architecturally beautiful building, it also holds beautiful stories from pioneering reading schemes for children to momentous wedding receptions for local happy couples. We can’t wait to open the doors and welcome our visitors in.”

Museum colleagues are proud to build on Mr. Tarry’s hard work as the library opens the doors to this exciting new story. Visitors will be able to enjoy a peaceful corner of post‑war life, meeting new historic characters and flipping through pages of history in a building rebuilt with community spirit at its heart.

Originally gifted to the people of Dudley by the Earl of Dudley in 1894, this long-cherished hub for learning served local communities for over a century before closing in 2008. The library now starts a new chapter thanks to the passion and stories from the community who helped to save it, standing proudly as the tallest architectural structure in the Museum’s new town.

We would like to extend particular thanks to FCC Communities Foundation for their funding support towards Woodside Library.

FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Cheryl Raynor, FCC Communities Foundation Grant Manager, said “We’re delighted to support the restoration of Woodside Library. The Landfill Communities Fund helps create lasting, high quality community spaces, and this project is a wonderful example of heritage being brought back to life for future generations. It’s inspiring to see how local stories, memories and dedication have shaped this restoration, and we’re proud that our funding could play a part."

The 1940s-60s development would not have been possible without the invested supporters, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Find out more at bclm.com/woodside-library.

Woodside Library opens to visitors from Wednesday 18 March.

Pictured below are the attendees taking a first look around the building on Monday 16 March, including FCC Communities Foundation General Manager, Mr Simon Settle.