Page 18 - link magazine

18 The Link Magazine • March 2003
Reference Library a valuable research resource
Last month we exclusively featured the maps produced by the Red Army showing Swindon as a potential cold war target. Reference Librarian
Roger Trayhurn reports considerable interest in the maps but he has much other fascinating and useful material in the library based in the
old Town Hall in Regent Circus.
The library contains many items history of the telephone in Britain quiring family member about Lusitania went down in 1915.
of particular use to those inter- was told, from information gleaned Swindonians Maud and Richard Local history books could not
ested in local or family history in- from a local history book and the Chirwin drowned when the precisely confirm the recollection
cluding copies of relevant extracts Evening Ad- of a war-time passenger in a train
from the Domesday Book. vertiser of the waiting in Swindon Junction sta-
There are large-scale Ordnance time, that the tion that the train was straffed by
Survey maps from as early as 1886, first ex an enemy aircraft, though such an
and there are full sets of church change in incident in the vicinity of the gas
records, local newsletters, street Swindon was { j k works in Iffley Road is recorded.
directories, census data back to opened in J .; j l1 Reader information about this
1841 and back copies of local news- 1893 in the event would be welcomed.
papers. Town Hall a ' Despite the drawbacks of oper-
Electoral information starts from (now occu- "" ating from a cramped building over
the time of parliamentary reform pied by the li- 100 years old, the library provides
in the 1830's. Town centre maps brary)• ' l It a very valuable resource for stu-
show in detail how shopping pro- Microfilms dents and researchers. And the
vision has developed since 1965 of the North recent installation of free internet
and old trade directories give a Wilts Herald access through the People's Net-
wider picture of how Swindon's provided de- Roder Trayhurn with colleagues Wendy Marshall work opens up a whole new world
economy has changed over the tails for an en- and Carol Woodward to visitors.
years.
There are, of course, a wide range
of reference and textbooks, sup- Games capture imaginations and encourages literacy
plemented by comprehensive col- Good and bad battle it out every Friday evening at the West Swindon library when young people amass
lections of national newspapers their armies for battle in the weekly Games Workshop.
and magazines. The Times dates Numbers attending have grown who interviewed garners for their from Middleleaze is the only regu-
back to 1785 and Punch back to steadily since the workshop was national magazine White Dwarf. lar girl taking part. "It's a good
19th Century. launched in late November, par- Matt Anderson, UK community way to get away from my younger
The experienced members of ticularly after a photo in the Jamr- operations manager for Games brothers," she said. "Being the only
staff go to great lengths to seek out ary Link. Workshop, said people had been girl is no problem; I enjoy beating
the answers to varied questions The success attracted the atten- playing with toy soldiers for thou- the boys when they think they're
posed by students and curious tion from staff from Games Work- sands of years but the workshop better. More girls should join in.
people. A person researching the shop headquarters in February introduces different levels of com- It's good fun."
plexity. "The rules are straightfor- Librarian Kristianne Drake said,
ward. Each character in the game "as far as we know this is the only
® has its own powers and players games workshop meeting regu-
have to work out how to protect larly in a library. The youngsters
their forces whilst defeating those really enjoy playing and welcome
FREEFITTING ranged against them. newcomers who want to take part.
The players with librarian Kristianne Drake, Matt Anderson
and Che Webster from Games Workshop HQ
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01193 814983 "As they get into the game the "We've had great support from
players have to read the rulebook; Games Workshop who donated
there's also a lot of interaction be- games' figures and playing sur-
tween players if they're playing in faces. We're now looking at organ-
If no reply 0800 212532 a team to work out strategy and ising a regional tournament"
solve problems. It's like chess taken The workshop has been funded
*off current prices on selected ranges to a new dimension." by Toothill and Freshbrook and
e-mail us at [email protected] Games addict Luke Cejer, 13, Grange Park Neighbourhood
from Grange Park said he had been Safety Teams (NeSTS).
playing for nearly three years. The Friday session now starts at
0 A ba n "When you're using figures you've 4.30pm and ends at 7.30pm.
painted, you really feel like you're
Just turn up, or call Rebecca Bol-
part of the battle."
swindon.gov.uk
At present Holly Morton, 15, ton on 465554 or mail: rbolton@