Mention of Morton's bookshop in the Oxton Rd. thread brought to mind my first job in 1952 at W.H.Smith in Grange Rd. Part of the shop was devoted to a subscription library: I wasn't personally involved with it but as far as I remember you paid an annual subscription for the use of it and could borrow books in the same way as at the public libraries. I vaguely remember that maybe Morton's had one too. I don't know why people would pay to use a relatively small library when the public library was free. Anyone have any memories of these libraries?

I don't remember them, my initial thoughts are, a member of a subscription library in W H Smith for example would get their hands on new book releases before the public libraries would be issued with them.

A brief description from 1883,

Thanks, Bert; your thought about availability of newer books may be right.

Boots chemist also had a lending library, my mother always had the latest crime novels kept for her ' under the counter '. Liscard rd branch, by Woolworths.

news agent shop on Old Chester road, Lower Tranmere where I was a paper boy in the first half of the 1950s had a small lending library. A company called once a month and updated the stock of books. The shop was the double door one opposite Mersey Mount.