Reader Development in Cheshire West and Chester Libraries:
"Reaching new parts of the community"
Picture: New Wharton Community Library
Cheshire West and Chester Libraries are committed to promoting books and the love of reading to people of all ages. Our libraries are constantly buzzing with a variety of events which include baby and toddler rhyme and story times, craft events, reading group meetings, poetry and writer's workshops, author visits, and computer and family history workshops.
Cheshire West and Chester, formerly part of Cheshire County Council, is a new unitary authority which covers the areas of Northwich and Winsford to the north, and Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston to the south. There are 26 libraries and centres and three mobiles in the authority.
- A designated reading group collection supports community reading groups, and there are library based reading groups at Blacon, Little Sutton, Chester, Ellesmere Port and Chester libraries and teenage reading/writing groups at Ellesmere Port, Little Sutton, Neston, Northwich and Chester. Chester also has a talking book group for visually impaired people. Little Sutton Library also has a poetry lover's group. In addition, there are also two bibliotherapy reading groups and a multicultural women's reading group at Winsford Library.
- National initiatives such as Bookstart Bookcrawl, National Bookstart Day, Summer Reading Challenge, World Book Day, Six Book Challenge, Orange Prize for fiction, TV Book Club, are supported with events and displays.
- Recent events have included visits from Erica James to Bishops High Library, Jo Bell and Joy Winkler at Chester Library, and a Unison Living Books event at both Winsford and Northwich Libraries.
- Many staff have frontline training in reader development and are actively involved in display and promotion work, supported by a high quality book stock. Access to books from both Cheshire West and East is available through our reservation system and through our online catalogue. See link below.
- We have special collections and equipment for people with visual impairment and those who are deaf and hard of hearing. Our Books on Wheels service is run in conjunction with the WRVS and our Fully Booked project and Reminiscence boxes provide resources for reading activities in older people's day centres.
For more information on Cheshire West and Chester libraries visit:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or contact:
Carol Maplesden
Specialist Librarian
Ellesmere Port Library
Civic Way
Ellesmere Port
Cheshire
CH65 0BG
