About Us
Our friendly volunteers can help you find just the right book. Our large stock includes:
- Fiction, classic fiction and crime fiction
- Plenty of non-fiction, including local interest and local history
- Large-print books, DVDs and talking books
- Order any book from the vast stock held in the LibrariesWest catalogue (there is a small charge for this)
- Download e-books free from the LibrariesWest website using your library card
Information
If there’s anything you want to know, you’ll probably find the information you need here at the library, including:
- Leaflets and brochures about local and national organisations
- Local papers
- Local events
- Village and Quantock walks leaflets and maps
Just Relax
We’ve created a friendly corner where you can sit down and relax with a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Why not enjoy a magazine from our free magazine swap scheme? Or meet up for a chat with your friends – you won’t see any ‘No Talking’ notices here!
Groups and events
There is always plenty happening at the library. Various groups meet here, including Knit and Natter, Mahjongg, Play Reading Group, and Book Group.
We hold regular second-hand book sales.
We also hold regular evening talks and presentations.
Ask our volunteers for details. Maybe you belong to a group that would like a place to meet? Ask our volunteers about this too.
Trustees & Management
Roger Stacey
Trustee
Chair
Roger’s working life spent on the design, construction and maintenance of buildings. Active as singer and conductor, former Chair of Western Region of National Federation of Music Societies and member of music panel of South West Arts.
Norma Frood
Trustee
Membership
Norma Frood BA ALA, former Chartered Librarian, IT skills, experienced in funding applications, report writing, promotional work/publicity, hosting group visits, organising conferences/events, multi-agency partnerships, data for national Early Excellence Centre evaluation programme, administration of Bridgwater College Forest School training and Children’s Centre Leadership programmes.
Sue Aubrey
Trustee
Sue is a former local government social worker, working with children and families, multi-agency working, staff and volunteer training and supervision, running workshops, and community group committees. People skills, good listener. Arrived in Nether Stowey in 1980, 3 daughters went to Nether Stowey school followed by Haygrove. Nether Stowey School governor and involved in school activities
Eliza Sackett
Trustee
Secretary
Eliza Sackett MA: managed the mail order department of a bookshop chain; with her husband ran an antiquarian and second-hand book business; and with her husband edited and wrote exhibition material and books for clients including the Francis Frith photographic archive, the BBC, and the National Trust.
Catherine Christie
Trustee
Catherine is a former senior civil servant with experience in policy development and successful delivery, particularly post-16 /further education. Continues to be actively involved in education for children and young people as a director/trustee of two Multi Academy Trusts across Somerset and Wiltshire.
Arrived in Nether Stowey in 1987 and was privileged to be part of our wonderful library community.
Eric Coates
Treasurer
Eric Coates M.A. Born London, educated at local elementary school, direct grant grammar school, St John’s College Oxford. National Service in RAF. A career in computers, consultancy, with major manufacturers 1961 – 1991. Own computer consultancy 1991 – 2003. He has worked in Europe, USA and retired to Nether Stowey 2005; past Chairman of Twinning Association, President of Probus club.
Mission Statement
The Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey promotes and inclusively delivers high-quality library, leisure, heritage, environmental and education services to residents of Nether Stowey and surrounding communities, in collaboration with its partners and a team of volunteers
Objects
- For the public benefit, the provision and maintenance of a library in Nether Stowey, Somerset and library service for the village and surrounding parishes;
- To promote for the benefit of the residents of Nether Stowey and the surrounding area the provision of a public library for recreation and or other leisure time occupation of individuals who require such facilities because of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said residents.
- To advance the education of the public in the history and heritage of the area, in particular of the lives of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and local benefactor Thomas Poole and the local environment.
Get Involved
Your local library is at the heart of the community.
Of course, you’ll find a huge choice of good books to read here. But that’s not all.
The Thomas Poole Library is also a place to meet your friends and make new ones, a place to enjoy your hobbies and interests, a place where the children in your family can find fun and stimulation – and a place where you can simply unwind with a cup of coffee and a magazine.
You don’t have to be a member of the library to visit us. Why not drop in, see what we have to offer, and have a chat with our friendly, helpful volunteers?
It might be that you want to be more involved. Perhaps you’d like to join the library so that you can borrow books, or support the library by joining the Thomas Poole Library Charity, or join one of the many groups and societies that meet here, or be one of our wonderful volunteers.
Click the Join the Library button below and find out more about how you can support our library, a vitally important part of our community.