A festival commemorating the 150th birthday of Dringhouses Library gets underway today.

The month-long celebration kicks off with a play specially commissioned by the library from Ellen Stevens, a recent theatre graduate from the University of York, and will continue for a month until Saturday 9th August, when the festival will close with a party at the library.

Built in 1852, but with no formal records existing until 1862, Dringhouses Library was originally a school, until it was transformed into a library during the Second World War in 1942.

Other parts of the festival include a performance from chamber music group Bellissime of popular Victorian music and talks from local actor/storyteller Chris Cade and local author Tom Harper.

For more information and to book places on the events please visit www.yortime.org.uk or call Dringhouses Library on 01904 552674 or visit www.exploreyork.org.uk for the festival timetable.