New Library Catalogue Interface

We’ve listened to your feedback and have launched a new interface for the Leicestershire Libraries Catalogue!

See it in action here: http://prism.talis.com/leicestershire/

We hope this new interface will give you some reading ideas, the ability to search the catalogue by genre, make it easier to use the catalogue and give you easy links back to our information.

We’d love to hear your thoughts, just follow on the “Feedback” link above the search box on the catalogue and tell us what you think…

http://prism.talis.com/leicestershire/

www.leics.gov.uk/Libraries

Poetry, history and exercise at Oadby & Wigston Libraries

There will be lots to keep library users of all ages active in mind and body in Oadby & Wigston in April.

Lyrical laughs can be had at Wigston Library on Saturday April 2nd when humorous poetry from Urdu and Hindi cultures, known as Mazahia Shayeri, will be explored for free from 3 – 5pm.

Wigston Library will also host its regular free knitting group at 2pm on Monday April 4th, and its stroll club, which is also free, on Wednesday April 6th at 10.30am. All ages and abilities are welcome to these events, which are as much about socialising as they are about developing skills or keeping healthy.

As part of Listen While You Lunch, Oadby Library will be hosting a visit by local historian Sally Henshaw, who will reveal the life and times of the notorious Nell Gwyn, mistress of King Charles II.

This talk will take place at 12 noon on Thursday 7th April, with tickets costing £2.50, including light refreshments. Pre-booking is required for this event.

Explore Learning creative writing workshops offer schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 11 years old the chance to imagine, plan and write their own stories and characters. There will be one hour sessions at Wigston Library on Thursday 21st April at 2pm, and at South Wigston Library on Tuesday 26th April at 2pm.

For even younger bookworms, free Wriggly Reader sessions will take place every Tuesday 10- 10.30am at Wigston Library, every Wednesday  2 – 2.30pm at Oadby Library, and again every Tuesday 10.30 – 11am at South Wigston Library.

Knights and dragons do battle at Coalville Library

As St George’s Day approaches, Coalville Library is inviting younger readers to take part in the Knight’s Challenge and the Dragon Quest.

From Saturday 16th April until mid-May children can support either the Red Knight or the Yellow Knight in a joust, and the more they read they further their knight will go in completing his challenge.

And on Wednesday 20th April, young squires and maidens can take on the Dragon Quest between 10.30 and 12 noon, with craft sessions and stories about these mythical beasts. Both Dragon Quest and the Knight’s Quest are free to take part in.

There will also be a host of Easter antics for library users of all ages to enjoy in North West Leicestershire.

At Castle Donington Library and at Kegworth Library until Monday the 18th of April, young children who visit can design their own Easter egg for free, while children over seven-years-old can design an Easter card.

There will also be special Easter Wriggly Reader sessions at Ashby Library on Friday 15th April  10 – 10.30am, at Ibstock Library on Thursday 21st April 10 – 10.30am, and at Coalville Library on Thursday 21st April  10.30 – 11am.

April 21st is also the final date for library members to enter the Shepshed Library group raffle. Simply borrow 6 books from Shepshed, Kegworth or Castle Donington Libraries until this date to get a free raffle ticket, with the winner being announced on the 21st as well.

BBC reporter, crime writer and Where’s Wally at libraries

There is lots for children and adults to do at libraries in Hinckley and Bosworth this April, particularly at the recently re-opened Earl Shilton Library, where a whole week of events is being put on.

 

The BBC’s Monica Winfield will be dropping in on Earl Shilton Library for a special coffee morning talk about her work as a street pastor. This event, which starts at 10am on Tuesday 12th April, is free to attend, but it is hoped that visitors will make a donation to charity. For more information on all these events ring 0116 305 8392.

 

Later that same week there will be a revealing historical event featuring old photographs, entitled ‘Old Earl Shilton: A trip down memory lane’. Local historian Jim Laws will present this free talk on bygone Earl Shilton. Booking is required for this event.

 

And from April 11th to the end of the month there will be an Easter Treaure Hunt for children at Earl Shilton Library, as well as a raffle to win a teddy bear. Simply visit the library and book out six books or more to pick up a ticket.

 

Over at Newbold Verdon Library there will be Dads Day, a free event for men and their pre-school children featuring stories and songs at 10.30am on Saturday 10th April.

 

A famous crime writer will also be visiting the library; Stephen Booth, creator of the acclaimed Ben Cooper detective novels, will be giving an evening talk at Newbold Verdon Library on Tuesday 12th April at 7pm, followed by a book signing. Tickets cost £2.50, to book or for more details call 0116 3053661.

 

And especially for children over the Easter holidays, there’s the chance to dress up as famous literary character Wally for “There’s Wally” at some Hinckley & Bosworth area libraries.

 

These fun-packed sessions based around the adventures of the famous bespectacled traveller are all free and take place at the following times:

 

Tuesday April 19th:

10am – 11.30am at Market Bosworth Library

2pm – 3.30pm at Earl Shilton Library

 

Wednesday April 20th

10am – 11.30am at Newbold Verdon Library

2pm – 3.30pm at Ratby Library

 

Thursday April 21st

2pm – 3.30pm at Barwell Library

 

 

Census 2011

The census for England and Wales takes place this Sunday 27th March.

Leicestershire Libraries are holding free census events for anyone who wants some assistance in completing their census. No booking required.

Coalville Library – Monday 28th March 2 – 4pm

Hinckley Library – Wednesday 30th March 10am – 12noon.

Loughborough Library – Tuesday 29th March 4 – 7pm
Tuesday 5th April 10am – 12noon

Market Harborough Library – Wednesday 30th March 10am – 12noon

Melton Library – Tuesday 29th March 11am – 1pm

Oadby Library – Wednesday 6th April 9.30am – 12noon

Wigston Library - Thursday 31st March 2 – 4.30pm

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

A helper monkey made this abstract painting, inspired by your stats.

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 7,100 times in 2010. That’s about 17 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 136 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 286 posts. There were 26 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 841kb. That’s about 2 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was November 5th with 85 views. The most popular post that day was Stock sale at Loughborough Library.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were leics.gov.uk, prism.talis.com, website, facebook.com, and twitter.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for book logo, children book, prize, rothley crossroads, and leicestershire libraries.

Leicestershire Heroes

From Spitfire pilot Johnnie Johnson to suffragette Alice Hawkins, from firefighter Bob Miller and secret agent Eliane Plewman to Lady Florence Dixie and the miners known as The Dirty Thirty, Leicestershire has produced many kinds of heroes.

Local author David Bell will be talking about some of them at Enderby Library on Wed 23rd March at 7pm. Tickets cost £2 including refreshments.

More events in the Blaby area here.

‘Support 2 Work’ at Barwell Library

From the 1st March, a new work club will be starting at  Barwell Library. It will be running from 10am until 11.30am every Tuesday throughout March. Anyone unemployed or at risk of redundancy can call in to receive help with:

 

• CV writing
• Searching for jobs over the internet
• Completing job applications
• Accessing training including computer courses and those around confidence building.

For further information email: mac@leics.gov.uk or call Martin Hall, MAC Co-ordinator on 07852 228424.

Historians at Harborough Library in March

War veterans can bring their photos, films, badges and Royal British Legion memorabilia to Harborough Library to discuss the fascinating stories behind these objects with a historian.

This free workshop is on Thursday 3rd March 3-6pm and is part of a landmark project, led by Leicestershire County Council, designed to mark the 90th anniversary of the Legion. Find out more here.