The interior of Norton Branch Library, Leven Road, Norton, showing the shelves, books and the issue counter. The library was opened in 1950. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The interior of Norton Branch Library, Leven Road, Norton, showing the shelves, books and the issue counter. The library was opened in 1950.
I joined the library here aged about 5 when I could barely see over the counter.It was a great library, later on I took parties of school children here where they were encouraged to read and change books once a week.
I loved this library I lived at 70 Norton Avenue and used to walk through the rec to it. The assistants were lovely you had cardboard tickets with a sort of pocket and they put the card from the book on. Different colours for adults and children and I remember my pride at about 12 when I was told I was reading well enough to be given adult tickets with parental permission. Such happy memories that teaching my son to use a library was one of the first things I did. They fostered in me a love of books that has passed on.
As a library assistant working in Stockton Central Library, I was often sent to Norton Library to help cover sickness and holidays. I always enjoyed my days working there, a very quiet location making a welcome change from the extremely busy Stockton library. Unfortunately, it”s remote location meant it was often a target for thieves and was broken into many times – once while I was in the surrounding park having my lunch, and I never saw or heard a thing! I notice the old Liptons in the High Street was converted to a new library for Norton so hopefully it is more secure.
This was a really good library. My sisters and I used to walk from The Brown Jug to the library every Saturday.
I remember this library opening and as a young teenager and avid reader visited it almost daily during school holidays, walking from Dover Road, Ragworth.(I think you could only borrow 2 books at a time.) I got my first adult ticket at this branch.