Community links

The Library Today

The library occupies the Old Court House in Horsefair (at the junction of the A4260 and B4031, ramped entrance on the High Street). It forms part of the Oxfordshire Library Service.

• Opening hours: Mon 2.00–7.00pm; Thurs 1.00–5pm; Wed & Sat 9.30am–1pm (closed Tue and Fri).
• Services include: Free to use internet ready computers linked to many resources, such as Ancestry and Find My Past. As well as audio books, wi-fi, Rhymetime and, of course, regularly changing book stock. Deddington Primary School have weekly class visits, Reading Groups are supported, and the Home Library Service delivers books to elderly and housebound people in their own homes.
• The library also has a large wall-mounted fabric collage made by the Deddington Craft Group in 1991; it depicts the buildings, trades and activities in Deddington through the ages.
• Deddington library now houses the Royal British Legion clock, donated to the Friends when the RBL building was sold in September 2017. The clock was restored by Frederick Treebie Reed (1862-1948) of Deddington and hung in the Club since it first opened in 1925.
• Home Library Service: Volunteers deliver books and audio to those who can’t get to a library. If you are elderly or housebound (whether permanently or temporarily) and would like to receive deliveries from the Home Library Service, please contact the Library Manager (01869 338391) or register to use the service by contacting the Oxfordshire Library Service on 01865 816010, or click here.

The Friends of Deddington Library (FoDL):

Deddington Library has served Deddington Parish and surrounding villages since it was opened in 1956 by J.R.R. Tolkien. It has survived many challenges since then but none quite like the challenge faced in 2011 when OCC budget cuts were so severe the only options were to close libraries or reduce funding and rely on volunteer help and community fundraising to meet the shortfall. For a history of the Friends’ successful campaigns to keep Deddington Library open, click here.

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) agreed to enable community libraries to be volunteer supported and community funded. The Friends of Deddington Library (FoDL) were formed and fund-raising began. A subscription-based membership to FoDL was introduced and is essential to support the ongoing costs FoDL legally agreed with OCC.

Calendar

We rely heavily on fundraising to meet the annual shortfall in subscription income. The  annual Parish Calendar is one such fundraiser, which we hope will provide funding to meet the 2025 shortfall (follow the FoDL Facebook page).

Images from calendars from 2017, all by local photographers, are on the DOL Gallery.

The 2025 calendar is on sale at the Farmers’ Market until the end of the year. It’s also available from local businesses: Nellie & Dove and Hamptons in the Market Place, Deddington, Fenemore’s Farm shop in Clifton, and of course, the Library. They are available in A4 and A5 sizes at £10 and £7.50 respectively.

A big shout out to local businesses who supported the 2025 calendar: Cox’s Garage, Holly Tree Hall, Cherry Lets, Hamptons, Wellness at New Street, House Calmer, RC Spencer, the Cyclogical Shop, Deddington Farmers’ Market, Deddington Dental, Bengal Spice and Nellie & Dove.

To join the Friends of Deddington Library, complete a subscription form and send it to the Library or email it to fodlbooks@gmail.com

For contact details, see the DIRECTORY