Southwark Libraries in SE16: Canada Water and Blue Anchor
You can visit two of Southwark libraries in SE16; whether you go to the award-winning building of Canada Water library with views of the dock in Rotherhithe or choose to go to The Blue Anchor library by the famous Blue Market in Bermondsey, you will find friendly and dedicated staff and a wide selection of activities for adults and children as well as a huge range of books from different genres including best sellers. For further details, visit Southwark council libraries website page.
Canada Water Library
The ground floor opens from 8am (Monday to Friday) for access to the café, computers, Wi-Fi, printing and photocopying, collecting reservations, returning or renewing books, and browsing or borrowing a limited selection of books. The rest of the library opens from 9am.
- Monday 8am to 8pm
- Tuesday 8am to 8pm
- Wednesday 8am to 8pm
- Thursday 8am to 8pm
- Friday 8am to 8pm
- Saturday 9am to 5pm
- Sunday 12pm to 4pm
21 Surrey Quays Road, London SE16 7AR
How to get there
Tube: Canada Water, Surrey Quays
Train: South Bermondsey
Bus: 1, 47, 188, 199, 225, 381, C10, P12
- Disabled parking
- Lifts
- Toilets on ground floor and first floor, including disabled toilets and adult and baby change
- Access to Dolphin Supernova software (allows screen magnification and audio assistance for visually impaired)
- Books, talking books, CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray films to borrow
- 41 study spaces for adults on the gallery floor
- Photocopying
- Free eBooks, eAudiobooks, Newspapers and eMagazines
- Free internet access – 33 PCs available for public use
- Free Wi-Fi
- Meeting rooms for hire
- Cafe
eLibrary – digital library services
Activities for children and young people
- Bookstart (ages 0 to 4), Mondays in term time, 10am to 11.30am
- Chatterbooks (ages 7 to 11), last Monday of every month in term time, 4pm to 5pm
- Stem, coding and robotics (ages 7-18), Mondays in term time, 6.15pm to 7.15pm
- Rhymetime (ages 0 to 4), Tuesdays in term time, 2.15pm to 2.45pm
- Picture This (ages 8+), alternate Tuesdays, 4pm to 5.30pm
- Baby and Toddler session (ages 0 to 4), Thursdays in term time, 11am to 11.45am
- Colour Me Happy (ages 5+), Fridays in term time, 4pm to 5pm
- Saturday Craft and Colouring Club (ages 5+), Saturdays, 2.15pm to 3.45pm
Activities for adults
- Canada Water Library short story club, third Tuesday of every month, 6pm to 7pm. Email canadawater1.library@southwark.gov.ukCanada Water Library book group, second Thursday of every month, 6.45pm to 8pm. Email eve.gough@southwark.gov.ukOnline book group, third Thursday of every month, 6.45pm to 8pm. Email wes.white@southwark.gov.uk
- for more information.
- Friday the thirteenth horror book club, every Friday 13 and Halloween, 6.13pm to 7.30pm. Email luis.menendez@southwark.gov.ukGetting started with computers, email and the internet.Email isadore.auerbach-george@southwark.gov.uk
- or ask in the library to book.
- ‘Warm welcome’ sessions with free refreshments and conversation. Thursdays, 11am to 12pm
- English+ group for free, casual English practice for language learners. Thursdays, 12pm to 2pm
- Craft Social, last Thursday of every month, 2pm to 4pm.
Updated on Sept 2025
The Blue Anchor Library
- Monday 9am to 7pm
- Tuesday 9am to 7pm
- Wednesday closed
- Thursday 9am to 7pm
- Friday 10am to 6pm
- Saturday 9am to 5pm
- Sunday closed
Updated 11/09/25
Market Place, off Southwark Park Road, London SE16 3UQ
How to get there
Bus: 1, P12, 381
Tube: Bermondsey
- Wheelchair access to the library
- Disabled toilet
- No dedicated disabled parking
- Access to Dolphin Supernova software (screen magnification and audio assistance for visually impaired)
- Books, talking books and DVDs to borrow
- Free eBooks and eAudiobooks
- Free eNewspapers and eMagazines
- Six adult study spaces available
- Photocopying facilities
- Free internet access
- Free Wi-Fi
- Fax machine
Activities for children and young people
- Bookstart (ages 0 to 4), Mondays in term time, 10.15am to 11.30am
- Chatterbooks (ages 7 to 11), first Tuesday of every month in term time, 4pm to 5pm
- Chess Club (ages 5 to 17), every Tuesday (apart from first Tuesday of each month) 4pm to 5pm
- Baby and Toddler session (ages 0 to 4), Thursdays, 10.30am to 12 noon
- Rhymetime (ages 0 to 4), Fridays 10.45am to 11.30am
Activities for adults
- Blue Anchor Library Book Group, first Tuesday of every month, 7pm to 8:30pm. Email blueanchor.library@southwark.gov.uk
- Getting started with computers, email and the internet.Email isadore.auerbach-george@southwark.gov.uk or ask in the library to book.
- Online book group, third Thursday of every month, 6.45pm to 8pm. Email wes.white@southwark.gov.uk for more information.