Chess in or outside libraries is nothing new. Large chessboards are inlaid into the pavement outside Leeds and Huddersfield central libraries, and games of chess can be seen unfolding thereon if the weather is clement. Indoors, casual chess games are sometimes seen in the foyer of Sheffield Central Library and in the café area of Doncaster Central Library.

Further, a chess club (indoor) has in the past year been held, quite independently of Rotherham Chess Club, on the last Saturday of each month at Rotherham Central Library, though the writer has never been free to go and see what was going on.

On Sunday 12th January, a junior (age 8-16) weekly Sunday chess session is being launched in York Central Library (now called “York Explore Library” after a fairly recent revamp.) The initiative is organised by Dan Staples, with Peter Cloudsdale and Noel Stewart on hand as coaches.

See flyer here.