Dad’s Day – at your library

Following the recent success of Dad’s Day we’ve decided to keep up the fun!

Why not :
• give mum a bit of time off!
• meet other dads!
• have some fun with your kids at the library!

Newbold Verdon and Earl Shilton Libraries are holding special Wriggly Readers sessions on the second Saturday of each month especially for Dads,and Grandads and their under 5s.

There’ll be stories, singing, rhymes and lots of fun!
Also a chance to get together with other dads and their kids!

So come along and have some fun on the following dates:

Saturday January 9th
Saturday February 13th
Saturday March 13th
Saturday April 10thh
Saturday May 8th
Saturday June 12th
Saturday July 10th and so on!!!!!

Newbold Verdon Library – 10.30 – 11.30am

Earl Shilton Library – 2.30-3.30pm

Come along and join in!

For more details please pop into the library or contact Library Development Workers
Gill Harris on 0116 305 3660 or Holly Porter on 0116 305 2766

Quest Seekers – Summer Reading Challenge

13,641 children took part in Quest Seekers in Leicestershire and 10,055 completed the challenge!  Thank you for all your comments.  Here are just a few.

Quest Seekers

• “It was brilliant, I enjoyed it and now want to come every week to pick up some new books.”  Jordan, 11

• “I think Quest Seekers is brilliant because then I can read books instead of watching TV.”  Danielle, 10

• “It was great, I really liked it, I hope the boys win.”  Jacob, 6
• “I’ve been not too keen on books before but now I enjoy reading. Thank you.”  Eden 11
• “I thought Quest Seekers was fun and I have read a lot more books than I normally would thanks to it.”  Alexandra, 11

• “I enjoyed reading books for a challenge and collecting posters and stickers. I’ve had so much fun reading books over the summer.”  William, 7

• “I enjoyed it. It was fun. The stickers were awesome. I loved reading at night before I went to sleep.”  Jade, 7
• “It was the best thing I’ve done in 9 years and I am 9.  It is wicked.  Rock on Quest Seekers!!!!!”

Mums and dads liked Quest Seekers too…

• “We have thoroughly enjoyed our challenge this year. We have shared lots of special reading times together and every year is a new experience.”
• “We have had a good time visiting the library. Its always hard work dragging the children away from the place – they enjoy it very much!”

Come back next year for Summer Reading Challenge 2010!

Libraries support Dyslexia Awareness Week

Libraries across Leicestershire are supporting Dyslexia Awareness Week which takes place from November 1st – 7th.

Libraries in Ashby, Birstall, Blaby, Broughton Astley, Fleckney, Hinckley and Wigston will have displays to raise awareness of dyslexia, which affects one in ten people.

Information will also be available on a Library Service webpage where there will be guidance on sources of information and advice on dyslexia, as well as details of books to turn struggling readers into confident ones.

Libraries also have a range of books to help. For more information visit www.leics.gov.uk/dyslexiaawareness or one of the libraries listed above.

Discover Midlands Crime at Melton Library

Melton Library is hosting an afternoon of crime on Wednesday 18th November 2009 from 2.30 – 3.30pm when John Martin from Leicestershire Libraries will give a talk about Midlands crime writers and crime fiction.

The talk will cover favourite authors, as well as give the opportunity to discover several new and lesser known authors.
There will also be the opportunity to borrow books from the library’s Crime Scene East Midlands collection, which features a varied collection of books to appeal to crime fans and non-crime fans alike.

The talk is free and places can be booked by contacting Melton Library on 0116 3053646.

More information about crime writing set in the Midlands can be found on the website at
http://www.leics.gov.uk/crimereading

10 best book websites

On 12th July, The Sunday Times Ingear section listed 10 best book websites.  I recommend that you look at Free Book Spot where you can down load ebooks for free.

Best book websites:

DailyLit – http://dailylit.com/

Shelfari – www.shelfari.com

Rare Book Room – http://rarebookroom.org

FreeBookSpot  – http://www.freebookspot.in

Authonomy – http://authonomy.com

Google Books – http://books.google.com

Blurb – www.blurb.com

BookCrossing – http://bookcrossing.com

LibriVox – http://librivox.org

Goodreads – www.goodreads.com

Read the reviews of the ten sites above, at the Times Online.

Owls visit Oadby Library

Youngsters from Oadby Owls Football Club spent a morning at the town’s library and joined the Quest Seekers Reading Challenge.

Club members aged between six and 11 spent time exploring the many things the library has to offer, including the free use of PCs to DVDs to help them with their homework, magazines and an enormous selection of books to borrow. They then chose books to create their own display of reading they would recommend to other Quest Seekers and library users. Quest Seekers, this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, is for all children aged four – 12 and is available throughout the county’s libraries.

Team manager at Oadby Library, Martin Horsley, who organised the event along with library development worker Sally White, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to see a different aspect of the library. “Libraries are so much more than books these days.” Any one interested in joining their local library or in library events should call in to their nearest library.

Details of local libraries can be found on the County Council website at Leicestershire Libraries or the phone book under Leicestershire County Council Libraries. For more information about Oadby Library call 0116 305 8763. For those children interested in football the contact for Oadby Owls is Secretary Tony Stonestreet who can be called on 0116 2720993 or emailed at: antonystonestreet@oadbyowls.com.

State-of-the-art new mobile library launched in Market Harborough!

Photo opportunity: A special viewing with chance to meet the library staff and a special cake will set off the celebrations as Leicestershire County Council launches its latest new mobile library in Market Harborough. Roger Wilson, the Chairman of the County Council, will declare the new mobile officially open at a special event taking place at The Square in Market Harborough on Saturday 12th September 2009 at 10.30am.

Vehicle design has changed over the years and the Leicestershire Library Service is pleased to be unveiling its’ new mobile model as it is unique and is the latest revolutionary design built in partnership with Leicester Carriage Builders. This latest vehicle design combines the low floor access of a bus with the carrying capacity of a conventional lorry based mobile. No longer restricted on the carrying capacity and both weight and space have been improved

It meets our user’s needs and is a fine example of technology at its best. Features include:
• Improved access to make it easier for everyone to get onboard.
• A vehicle that is 40ft long and approx. 8.6 ft wide.
• Full air suspension.
• Book capacity of 2800, which gives customers far more books to choose from than the old mobile.
• Categories of stock including:
• Adult fiction
• Hardbacks and paperbacks
• Fiction and non-fiction books for children of all ages.
• Large print books
• Talking books
• State of the art graphics.
• The mobile will continue to visit rural communities on a fortnightly basis
• Plus there is information on a Home Library service
• Leicestershire Library book requests that are free for children and senior citizens

The afternoon sees story telling sessions by local author Andy Cope, who wrote the children’s story books ‘Spy Dog’ series. He will be on the mobile library at 1.00 –1.30 pm and 2.00 – 2.30 pm in The Square, Market Harborough.

The mobile library service in Market Harborough visits communities that do not have a static library within easy reach, helping libraries become accessible to all. The new mobile contains a wide variety of stock including fiction and non-fiction and talking and large print books.

Roger Wilson, the Chairman of the County Council, said:
“This new ’state-of-the-art’ mobile is not only easily accessible, due to the low chassis design, the area it covers and the places it visits in Market Harborough will help library services become available to everyone.”

For more information about the event or to find out when the mobile library will be visiting your area please call Jackie Knight, District Community Manager at Market Harborough Library, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7LT Telephone: 0116 305 3627 Email. jackie.knight@leics.gov.uk or marketharboroughlibrary@leics.gov.uk Alternatively look on the County Council website: www.leics.gov.uk/libraries

Library Quest Seekers complete the reading challenge

Libraries in Leicestershire have been buzzing this summer after more than 13,000 children signed up to take part in Quest Seekers, the national Summer Reading Challenge.

Children aged between four and 12 were challenged to read six books during the summer holidays – and many have done so.

Parents, grandparents and anyone looking after children during the summer are asked to encourage young Quest Seekers who haven’t yet completed their reading challenge to do so.

They need to visit the library before Saturday, 12th September to receive a certificate and other goodies.

Teachers say they can tell straight away which children have taken part in the Summer Reading Challenge – they go back to school in September ready to carry on with their reading and ready to learn.

Find out more about Quest Seekers at 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