BURY CARNIVAL 2008
What a successful day at the Carnival for Bury library service, recruiting over 50 new library members.
Library staff saw off the threat of wind and rain to run a promotional stand at the Carnival grounds. As part of the National Year of Reading the library service worked with the Key 103 Street Team to tell Carnival goers how great it is to be a library member.
There were lots of freebies to give away and as part of this promotion there is a competition to become Manchester's newest author and get your own work published by visiting:
Health & Wellbeing Day
Prestwich Library hosted a Health and Wellbeing Day as part of our ongoing NYR activities. Visitors to the library enjoyed a relaxing yoga demonstration, Indian head massage and reiki as well as being able to get advice on healthy eating, smoking cessation, weight management, sleep and staying active as we age, as well as child health issues from the NHS Health Trainers, the Falls Prevention Service and the Community Nursery Nurse.
Alison Bond, the Reader Development Librarian was on hand to offer her own brand of healing in the form of 'Colour Therapy Poetry'. Library users were invited to pick a coloured envelope containing poems intended to enlighten, uplift and energise ones mood.
Book Ahead Launch - Ainsworth Library
Children from Ainsworth Scholars visited Ainsworth library for the launch of the 'Book Ahead' scheme They were shown how to join the library and borrow books and all had a go at stamping a book with the due back date.
They enjoyed sharing some stories together before being presented with their 'Book Ahead' box to take back to pre-school to keep there.
The 'Book Ahead' project is a national scheme and Bury Library Service's ensure every pre-school in Bury is issued a box of specially selected titles for them to keep at their setting for a long period of time. The intention is to encourage settings to share books with the children, introduce new titles and build closer links between pre-school settings and the public and schools library service.
PAST TIMES REMEMBERED
The Reading Group which was recently set up at Spurr House, Unsworth were treated to a special launch funded by the Age of Opportunities Group 'Reading Lives'. This activity has been set up to encourage more elderly readers which will eventually be extended to include inter-generational reading activities to get young and old reading together.
The launch was on the 18th June at Topping Fold Community Centre and the Over 50s group who regularly meet at the Centre were also invited along.
The Social Inclusion Team put on a special reminiscence treat which recreated the cinema as it was in years gone by. Over 30 people attended the launch and, before being shown to their seats by the Usherette with her torch, were treated to a buffet lunch. The film that was shown was an old classic The King and I, starring Yul Bryner and Deborah Kerr. During the interval the group were served with popcorn or candy. Reading Lives is using film and book as a complement to each other and there will be further events similar to this in the future.
Elizabeth Binns, Principal Libraries & Adult Learning Officer (Social Inclusion) said "We already actively promote reading for older people and supply reading material in different formats such as talking books, large print and we also deliver to those that are housebound. The Reading Lives aims to get the young and old reading together and is something we want to actively encourage".
For details on this or any other events organised through the Social Inclusion Team please contact Jean Linden-Bardsley, Reminiscence Worker Tel: 0161 253 6530 or Email:
Wider Family Learning Project for new Children's Centres in Bury
Karen Stirrup, Programme Manager for Wider Family Learning based at Bury Adult Learning Centre has been working with the Children's Centres which are being set up within Bury. Wider Family Learning have delivered family art courses to mother and toddler groups where the main aim was to produce canvasses of their own designs which will be displayed in the new Children's Centres
The Children's Librarian, Alison Davies who is based at Bury Library has been involved as part of the course includes a homework sheet listing books to read which includes colours with under 5's.
Parents are being encouraged visit the library and share books with their children. We are also talking together about their own reading habits and choices, what do they enjoy to read and how they can pass on a love of reading to their own children. This has been an excellent opportunity to forge links between the library, children's centres and local families.
What's next?
Over the coming months we are hoping to welcome local and national authors to Bury libraries. We will be running a full and exciting Summer Programme for children and young people including Arts and Crafts Workshops, Animal Awareness Week and a borough-wide Nintendo Wii Tournament. We are building a good partnership with The Met, Bury's Arts and Theatre Venue and we will continue to spread the word about libraries and National Year of Reading at every available opportunity.
For more information about these or any other activities taking part in Bury Libraries please contact:
Alison Bond, Reader Development Librarian
Tel: 0161 253 7345
or by email at:
Time To Read currently has a full time paid co-ordinator, supported by Arts Coucil of England and Museums, Libraries and Archives, North West.