World Book Day is a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. So where better to head for some thoughts on books, reading and writing than Hawarden's iconic Gladstone's Library? Jamie Bowman finds out how the library continues to inspire authors and readers over 100 years since it opened its doors to the public.

HAWARDEN'S Gladstone’s Library became an internet sensation over the weekend when news and entertainment website Buzzfeed published a video on the Facebook page of its travel arm, Bring Me.

The video had been filmed at Gladstone’s Library five weeks earlier and has, at the time of writing, been watched over 5million times, been shared over 65,000 times, and received over 20,000 comments.

The short film takes the viewer inside the doors of the only residential library in the world, that has 150,000 books and printed items at one end of the building and 26 boutique bedrooms at the other, along with a cosy common room and bistro cooking up tasty, homemade food.

Later this month, the library will reveal more of its secrets when the library’s director of collections and research, Louisa Yates, presents a talk on the building's historic Reading Rooms - the centre-point of the 19th century library which was founded by the great Victorian statesman, William Ewart Gladstone and, following his death in 1898, became the nation's tribute to his life and work.

"We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the response," says marketing manager Amy Sumner. "We’re pleased because we’ve been working really hard to reach new audiences, and younger audiences, and so this is a real boost.

"It’s also a really great time to receive this kind of exposure – we feel that it’s important now more than ever for William Gladstone’s liberal voice to be heard in this increasingly illiberal world."

A lifelong student and scholar, as well as a voracious reader and collector of books, Gladstone built up a remarkable personal library reflecting the wide range of interests of a true Victorian polymath.

The four-time Prime Minister was eager to make his personal library accessible to others; the first step towards fulfilling this vision was taken in 1889 when two large iron rooms were erected with six or seven smaller rooms to act as studies. Gladstone, over 80-years-old, was closely involved in the transfer of 20,000 of his books from Hawarden Castle to their new home a quarter of a mile away, undertaking much of the manual labour himself, helped only by his valet and one of his daughters.

Today the library's Reading Rooms contain 26 desks and a growing number of comfortable armchairs and with 150,000 printed items on the open shelves and fully Wi-Fi enabled, the Reading Rooms are just as Gladstone intended - a place for study.

"The Reading Rooms are full of books, papers, pamphlets and journals," explains Amy. "Some annotated in Gladstone’s hand, some not.

"Each of these items has its own secrets and stories waiting to be discovered and that’s why we want to encourage people to use, and make the most of this internationally-significant collection.

"I think the whole ‘Hogwarts’ feel really captures people. But also being able to curl up next to the fire, or in bed with a good book – that kind of time is invaluable.

"People visit the Library to work, to research, to read, to think, to write, to walk, to talk. And it’s those discussions you might have with someone, over a glass of wine by the fire, those chance meetings, that often provoke the greatest friendships."

In the last decade the library has been made aware of over 300 books that have been inspired, started, revised, finished or otherwise worked on while the writer was at Gladstone's Library with writer in residence Sarah Perry's novel The Essex Serpent a recent best-seller to have benefitted from its author's stay in Flintshire.

"It’s a sanctuary," answers Amy when I ask her what it's like to work at the Library.

"The people you meet and come into contact with at Gladstone’s Library are really special, and I’ve had conversations that will stay with me forever.

"Beyond everything the team is so hardworking, because the Library and what it stands for is so important to us that we want to make sure we do it justice every day."

With his strong Liberal values, opposition to aristocracy and a belief in a harmonious Europe, it's sad to think what Gladstone might of made of some of our current issues not least the continued threat to the country's libraries which has seen almost 500 close across England, Scotland and Wales since the austerity measures of 2012.

"It’s one of the most important issues for us," agrees Amy. "Gladstone’s Library is a place of dialogue, debate and discussion. "We encourage people to come and to ask questions – that’s why we opened our Islamic Reading Room in 2010. Libraries are forums for ideas to be passed around, centres of learning, for every single member of the local community and further afield. "We want people to come to Gladstone’s Library to research their next book, to study for exams, to meet for a cup of coffee – libraries are there for every single one of us and it’s so important that we continue to support them."

With World Book Day on March 1 now an the annual celebration of books, authors and illustrators, I close by asking Amy which book has inspired and stayed with her the most.

"I’ll always remember my mum reading My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara to me, religiously before bed every night, when I was at the age of about seven," she adds.

"I was absolutely captivated, swept up into this other world, which often found its way into my dreams, and hanging off every intonation, every breath. Reading to and for other people is still something I find comfort in today and it’s a tradition I hope we never lose."

The History of the Reading Rooms talk takes place at Gladstone's Library on March 19 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8. For more information or to book, please call 01244 532350 or email enquiries@gladlib.org.