Sheffield Library’s do a lot to promote football history in Sheffield and involve the community along the way. As well as having a good depth in books about football both in the general and reference library and a very helpful team to help you they also offer other services to help many who may be lonely, fighting depression or dementia through sport.
Sporting Memories Group
They have set up sporting memories groups in 5 libraries to help older people unlock sporting memories whether they be football, cricket, swimming, Olympics etc. Regular sessions are now held at, Crystal Peaks, Ecclesall, Firth Park, Stocksbridge and Central libraries and they have been a great hit often with full groups and a waiting list of people wanting to go along.
Walking Tour App
Another initiative is the ‘Walking Tour App’ of the places that give Sheffield a rightful voice in saying it is the ‘Home of Football’.
The best way to describe the App is how the Library themselves describe it.
“Between 1857 and 1889 Sheffield had 95 football clubs and the app explores locations associated with these early clubs and the development of the modern game. While visiting ten stops over the 4.7 mile walk you will be introduced to the places and people that made Sheffield the home of Association football.
The app includes audio commentaries, so you can listen as you walk or simply sit and enjoy in your armchair from anywhere in the world.
As you reach key points along the walk content in the app will be triggered automatically. You can also follow your location on an 1855 map, giving you a sense of what Sheffield was like at that time.”
http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/homeoffootball
It will be something I’m sure I will do on a visit to Sheffield in the future.
Sheffield Football Treasures
On the 25th October the Central Library put on a day between 10.30 and 2.30 when you could visit them and see some of the treasures that are in Sheffield that show off its football history credentials. There were displays and talks by many groups showing and explaining the history of the game.
Some photos are from Sheffield Library’s Twitter page.
There were as well as the FA Cup some of the local cups first played for in Sheffield and perhaps more important with regards the history of the game at its outset.
This support for Sport locally is just one of the ways that Sheffield Library’s are keeping on top of the league and encouraging people to use this amazing resource.
Payonthegate 