In 2023 we reached the 10 year milestone since we became a volunteer-run community library, ensuring the continuation of a full library service to our local community in partnership with Buckinghamshire Council.
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Image courtesy of Sarah Barry.
Summer Reading Challenge 2026 launches Sat 4th July
Aged between 4 and 11? Read 6 books of your choice over the course of the summer, collect stickers, and earn a medal and certificate, to be awarded in September at school assembly! This year it is a music-based theme Read to the Beat
It's a great way to encourage children into reading for pleasure, and to help them discover the joy of books.
To sign up for the Challenge, visit Stokenchurch Library.
Library membership is required, but if you or your child are not already members, joining is free and normally takes only a few minutes, but you do need to produce proof of ID and address.
To avoid delays at busy times, and having an impatient youngster on your hands(!), it may be a good move to get this done in advance.
Design a kit and win a trip to Wembley!
Design your ideal sports kit for your school, local team, or just for fun, and enter a draw for a tour of Wembley Stadium for 4 people.
Pick up a template from the library (or copy or download the one to the left); create your design; add your name, parent's name and contact details; and put it in the box at the library. Closing date Saturday July 18th, draw will take place on the 19th (World Cup Final day!).
Unwanted up-to-date travel guides sought
We are looking to update and extend our range of travel guides for the benefit of our customers. So, if you have any such guides covering anywhere in the world, that are up-to-date (2022 or more recent) and in good condition, that you are willing to donate, we'd be really grateful!
We will add them to our loan stock if suitable, but donations are given on condition that this is not always possible, in which case we will seek to sell them to raise funds to help run Stokenchurch Library.
Please bring any donated travel guides into the library during opening hours. Thank you!
A big thank you to everyone who visited our stall at the recent (rather damp!) Summer Fayre, and supported us by taking part in the children's tombola, buying a book or jigsaw, or buying tickers for our hamper raffle. The two winners of the hampers have been informed, and are no doubt busy chomping their way through the goodies they contained.
Altogether we raised around £250 for the library, helping us sustain this valuable facility for the local community.
Our popular monthly Key Stage 2 Book Club, for 7-11 year olds, is back for another year. Here's the schedule for the 2025 - 2026 season, offering an engaging programme of themed craft activities, and book chat.
Parental permission is required for participation, so, especially if you're a first timer, please arrive early so that necessary details can be obtained.
Local Councillors' Surgeries
The two local councillors representing the Ridgeway West ward on Buckinghamshire Council hold regular drop-in surgeries at Stokenchurch Library. We are awaiting the dates for 2026.
In the meantime, if you wish to contact the councillors, here are their e-mail addresses:
***Very sadly, due to volunteer non-availability, our Wednesday morning story reading sessions are currently suspended.***
Each month, we have a differently-themed display designed to encourage you to try something a little different!
For example, January's display featured books written by people who are more famous for other accomplishments or activities in their lives.
Our themes are many-and-varied, so drop by to see what it is each month - I think you might find June's is about football for some reason!
As well as all our books, Stokenchurch Library also offers a jigsaw exchange: borrow a jigsaw from our extensive stock for a small donation; once done, return it and swap for another one.
So, whether you're a bit of a jigsaw addict, or fancy trying something new or nostalgic - or if, sadly, someone you know is confined to home for a few days and in need of distraction - we're the place to come. See our opening hours below.
(Thank you, but we are NOT in need of more jigsaws at the moment!)
It's only possible to run the library because of the contribution of volunteers who help in many different ways.
For example, our volunteers:
• Provide the library service to customers - issuing and returning books, stocking shelves, answering queries, and so on. Typically, volunteers offer a four-hour session once a fortnight, although we are flexible.
• Assist with publicity and fundraising, for example through the presence at outside events, activities such as raffles, and similar initiatives that raise our profile.
• Serve on the Management Committee, which oversees the running of the organisation, sets its priorities, and ensures compliance with legal requirements and that the finances are in good shape.
• Help maintain our grounds, and undertake minor DIY tasks.
Or maybe you have something else to offer, or ideas of your own about how you can help us inspire a love of reading, and increase our value as a community facility. For example, offering or arranging talks of interest to library users and the local community; being a library / reading champion, spreading the word in potentially innovative ways about what we offer, and communicating the joys and benefits that reading can bring; joining a rota of story-readers, so we can re-start our story-reading sessions.
If you are interested in volunteering with us please contact us by e-mail to libmanagers.scl@gmail.com with an idea of how you feel you might be able to help, and a phone number so we can give you a call.
We regularly receive brand new books for you to borrow. Here's some recent examples - you can always reserve an item if someone has cheekily beaten you to it!
Opening times
Visit the library
Address
Stokenchurch Community Library
Wycombe Road
Stokenchurch
High Wycombe
HP14 3RG
Contact Stokenchurch Community Library
Telephone: 01296 382415
Email: enquiries.scl@gmail.com
Contact Buckinghamshire Libraries at: buckinghamshire.gov.uk/libraries/contact-library-service
Facilities
Free wifi
Computers and internet access
Jigsaw puzzle exchange - bring in a jigsaw you have done, and swop it for another one, in return for a small donation. Only jigsaws with all pieces present, please.
Local information
Events
Genealogy and Local History Group
When: every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month
Time: 7 - 9pm
Description: Do you want to research your family tree? Or explore any aspect of local history?
Our experienced amateur genealogists can offer assistance to complete beginners. If you have any information, names or dates, bring it with you and we can point you in the right direction.
If you have been researching for a while they may also be able to help you if you have hit a 'brick wall', using their experience gained unpicking the complexities of old records whilst researching both family and local history.
If possible please bring your laptop/tablet, although we have a restricted number of computers here you can access. We can direct you to many free resources and library members can also access Ancestry for free.
There is no charge for the sessions but a voluntary donation would be welcome.
Any questions call Pat on 01494 571947.
Councillor Surgeries
Regular local councillor surgeries are held in the library or elsewhere in the Ridgeway West ward. See homepage, or displayed posters in the library, for dates and times.
Key Stage 2 Book Club
These free sessions - aimed at 7-11 year olds - include varied activities plus book-related chat on a specific theme.
Last Wednesday of the month (with break at December and in summer), 5pm - 6.30pm
Storytime for under 4s
Prior to Covid, we used to hold a storytime for pre-school children (accompanied by parents or guardians) every Wednesday morning.
Due to the loss of an organiser and other factors we have been unable to resume these post-Covid. However, we would be keen to do so in some form.
If you have pre-school children and might be interested in a partially self-managed informal session of this sort - or even might be interested in joining us a volunteer with a view to organising such sessions - please e-mail libmanagers.scl@gmail.com.
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