Find us on Delicious.com

Now you can find all of our internet links on Delicious.com.

Visit http://delicious.com/leicslibraries

Young People with a Vision

A world-wide online photography competition has been launched by a group of young people in Charnwood.

This ambitious project – Vision 09 – has been set up by photography students from Hind Leys Community College in Shepshed. The project is in collaboration with Charnwood Arts as part of their ongoing commitment to developing the work of young photographers.

The competition is open to anyone, anywhere in the world who is aged between 16 and 25 years of age. Entries can be made in three categories:  Urban, Portraits and Photo-Poetry.

Text may only be included in the entries in the Photo-Poetry Category invite participants to combine their photographic skills with a poem of no more than 250 words. This category can be entered as a partnership between a photographer and a poet providing they are both aged between 16 and 25.

Entry to the competition is completely free. All entries must be made using the online submission system on the competition website at http://vision09.sharedspace.org/

Closing date for submissions is September 25th, 2009.

Shortlisted entrants will be asked to supply high quality digital images to go forward to a second round of judging, which will take place in November 2009.

The winning images will be published on the Charnwood Arts Pixel & Grain website at www.charnwoodarts.com/pixelandgrain and exhibited in the Hind Leys Gallery, Shepshed in January and February 2010.

Further information from Charnwood Arts at vision09@charnwood-arts.org.uk

Volunteers needed at the library

Volunteers are needed to help deliver library books to people who have difficulty getting out and about.

Leicestershire Library Service is looking for people who have a couple of hours a month to spare and would be a prepared to take books to and from the homes of housebound customers.

It currently needs volunteers in Narborough, Enderby, Glenfield, Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forest East.

Leicestershire Libraries has always been proud to offer a home library service to housebound customers.

The scheme, which relies on volunteers, offers them a vital link and service.

If you are interested in volunteering and could deliver to these areas please contact Helen Murray on 0116 305 3593 or email: Helen.Murray@leics.gov.uk

See www.leics.gov.uk/libraries

Reminiscence coffee morning

Reminisce and test your knowledge of past decades over a cup of tea or coffee at Syston Library. This free event will take place on Wednesday, 26th August between 10am and 1pm. People of all ages are invited to drop in and share their memories over a cup of tea or coffee where they will have the opportunity to take part in a past decades quiz.

The quiz will test people’s knowledge of the 20th century and help them remember the past with pictures of famous faces, royalty and newspaper headlines.

For more information about the event contact Syston Library. on 0116 3053500 www.leics.gov.uk/libraries

Great news for members of reading groups and writing groups!

Leicestershire Libraries and Loughborough University have agreed a reduced price for all reading group and writing group members for next weekend’s Polyverse Poetry Festival.  The festival starts on Friday July 24th and ends on Sunday July 26th.

It’s a massive event, featuring over 40 poets, workshops and discussions…. and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy!

In recognition of the great support that the library service has given to the festival, prices have been reduced for reading group and writing group members: from £20 to £15 for the whole weekend, and from £10 to £7 for Saturday evening. 

Saturday will feature “Dreams of May”, a critically-acclaimed play-in-poetry, four of the best young writers from Leicestershire, plus Carol Ann Duffy. 

If you like poetry, write poetry, or are just tempted… this is a great opportunity to see an amazing line-up. For more details, visit the website http://artisanslibrary.ning.com

We look forward to seeing you there!
Best wishes from The Polyverse Team.

What’s your favourite holiday read?

Holiday Reading

For me, there is nothing better than reading a good book on the beach.  Ahhh, the sound of the waves lapping on the shore and the feeling of the warm breeze that rustles the palm trees overhead…

I try not to read my holiday book too quickly, or else I won’t be able to read more the next day. I remember one holiday when my book of choice was The Da Vinci Code. I parked myself on a sun lounger by the pool and read it in one great gulp over the first two days.  I regretted it later, because I didn’t have anything to take down to the beach with me!

Please share with us:
a)what you are reading this summer, and
b) the best book you ever read on holiday.

Sheri Riddlesworth, Website Development Officer – Libraries
a)The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
b)The Pirate’s Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson

Listen to This!

The latest library podcast, “Listen to This” is now available on our website.

Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals 2009

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s  Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals 2009!

The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2009 was posthumously awarded to Siobhan Dowd for ‘Bog Child’.

The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2009 was awarded to Catherine Rayner for ‘Harris finds his Feet’.

Both titles were nominated by staff from Leicestershire and Leicester City libraries

Find out more about the titles and the awards on the Libraries website