Wynne Thomas Library adds services
Serving Nottinghamshire members, visiting teams and fans and the wider cricket community, the Wynne-Thomas Library at Trent Bridge is gearing up for a busy time between now and the end of the season.
More than thirty new books are now available for Notts CCC members to borrow, ranging from cricketing ‘classics’ to biographies (always the most popular section) and works that reflect cricket’s place in society.
In addition to the Library as a leading and reading resource, the Heritage team at Trent Bridge welcome visits from archivists, journalists and researchers as the wide range of reference books, county yearbooks and statistical information has benefitted from conservation work and a comprehensive re-organisation by hard-working volunteers.
The staff running the Library, led by Heritage Manager Steve LeMottee, expect a busy time between now and the end of September. The run-in of the County Championship, a five-day Test against the West Indies and an ODI versus Australia should mean lots of visitors to the Library.
“We are well aware”, said Steve LeMottee, “that for the international games in particular, fans and members like to arrive early and take in the atmosphere of our great ground.
“Therefore, we have decided to open before the start times of both the Test and the ODI rather than waiting for the lunch interval or innings break.
“For the Test against the West Indies, the Library will open from 10am and close at the end of the tea interval. We will open an hour later, 11am, for the One-Day match and close at 4.30pm. We hope that visitors will be drawn in to see the impressive array of books, magazines and reference works and, in the case of Notts CCC members, to borrow a book or two.”
For the remaining County Championship matches, the Wynne-Thomas Library will open as the lunch interval starts and close at the end of the tea interval.
All visitors are welcome to browse the books and magazines in the Library but the lending service is only available to Notts members – a membership benefit that is proving increasingly popular.
Given the very strong links between Trent Bridge and West Indian cricketers – not least the great Gary Sobers – it is hoped that fans from the Caribbean, as well as local West Indies supporters, will call in to say hello and see the books on cricket and cricketers from their home country.
Among the newest editions on the shelves will be ‘Almost Invincible: The West Indies Cricket Team in England 1984’, a fascinating insight into that most formidable of teams.
“We like to get books out on display that we think will appeal to our visitors”, said Chris O’Brien, one of the Heritage volunteers that help run the Library, “and the West Indies Test will be an ideal opportunity to reflect on the many great players, and great games, that have featured at Trent Bridge”.
Similar timing changes and displays will be in place for the One-Day Cup fixtures against Gloucestershire and Essex in August and for the One-Day Cup Final on 22 September.
Details of these will be confirmed in the Matchday Guide for each fixture that appears in the ‘News’ section of the Trent Bridge website.
June 2024