Bridgnorth Library – bookboodle

Libraries Week Image

A week celebrating the resources and activities that libraries have to offer!

I’m so lucky to live on the same street as my local library but I still don’t use it as often as I should. I had cause to pop in a few Saturday’s ago to take advantage of the computers and more specifically their internet and because I have a library card I got 2 hours free usage!

My local library (Bridgnorth, Shropshire) has a number of events going on during this week to celebrate National Libraries Week; here’s what they’ve got going on:

Book Launch – The Marvellous Marathon Dragon – Saturday October 7th 10:00am
(so not technically during the main week but a great kick off)
You can meet the author, illustrator and the Asthma dragon. The book will also be available to buy on the day. This is a free event!

An evening with Jenny Blackhurst (the event I’m most excited about) – October 9th 7pm
Shropshire author Jenny Blackhurst visits to celebrate National Libraries Week! Hear about her bestselling novels and her new title The Foster Child.

Bookstart Rhyme Time – October 9th 10:30am
Rhymes, Songs and Stories for under five.

Community directory drop-in session – October 9th 2pm
See a demonstration of the online directory, find a new hobby, exercise class or self-help group or get your organisation added.

Yoga and relaxation session – October 10th 10am
Celebrate National Libraries week, with something different.

Creative writing workshop – October 11th 1pm
£2.50 per person.
I am tempted by this workshop: just to give it a go. I never liked reading out I’d written in class though so I’m a bit shall I/shan’t I?

On Cloud Nine with Time to Listen – October 11th 11am
To celebrate National Libraries Week with a special feel-good session of Time to Listen! Pull up a chair and relax while we read extracts from fiction and poetry on an uplifting theme.

Will you be attending any of your local library’s National Libraries Week events?

Find out more at >> Bridgnorth Library Shropshire Libraries National Libraries Week

L is for Library

I’m lucky enough to live on the same street as my local library and because of this I’ve found I’m using the library more than I have in the last 20 odd years. I often go in for a browse or to pick up books I’ve reserved online.

Here’s my library:

Bridgnorth Library

The library offers various services including:

FREE BOOKS!
Tourist information centre
Computers
Meeting rooms
Local history material
Printing & photocopying
Library friends

Events & groups include:

Reading groups
Author events; most recently with James Hannah (author of The A to Z of You and Me)
Book Start Rhyme Time for babies & toddlers
Time to Listen – adult story time
Poetry sessions
Library knit & natter
Computer & tablet training sessions

Libraries are a great resource in the community that should be protected, whenever I’ve been in to collect books its always been busy. But they’ve found themselves a lot in the public eye just lately with the threat of reduction in services and government cuts etc. Only recently I saw a post on The Bookseller about Shropshire looking to make 16 of our libraries community run. I honestly don’t know if this is a good thing or will be a bad thing but I came across this blog post via Twitter and the author raised some very valuable points. Do read this blog The harsh truth about volunteers – it’s a very interesting take on the effects this could have to our libraries.

Libraries I’d like to visit soon – both having undergone a considerable makeover