Gidea Park Library

Events:

Tuesday 19 January, 4pm - 5pm, Chatterbooks.

Saturday 6 and 13 February, 10am - 3pm, Indian Head and Back Massage plus Reflexology. Pre-booking by email essential.

Regular Groups:

Every weekday, term time only

Reading Buddies, 3.30pm - 4.30pm

Every Tuesday

2.15pm - 2.45pm Read and Rhyme, term time only

4pm - 5pm, Chatterbooks, term time only

5pm - 6pm, Computer Classes

Every Wednesday

10am - 11am, Computer Classes

3.45pm - 4.45pm, term time only. Kids' Knits for children aged 8 to 12 years. £2 per visit, wool and needles provided. Pre-booking by email essential.

Every Thursday

10.30am - 12noon, Stitches adult craft group

5pm - 6pm, Computer Classes

Find out more about Gidea Park Library.

Harold Hill Library

Events:

Tuesday 26 January, 11am - noon, Len Taphouse talks about his time living and working in Libya. £1 including refreshments.

Regular Groups:

Citizens Advice Havering holds a drop-in advice service every Monday,10am to 2pm.

Every Thursday,  10am to 12noon. In Stitches sewing group.

Find out more about Harold Hill Library.

Harold Wood Library

Events:

Young at Heart Club

Wednesday 10 February, 11am - noon, talk by solicitor from F Barnes Solicitors. 

Dementia Advice Friday 5 February and Friday 4 March, 1.15pm - 2.15pm. Dementia Advisory Session. Email for more details.

Find out more about Harold Wood Library.

Hornchurch Library

Hornchurch Library has two classrooms and a meeting room available for hire.

Events:

Saturday Craft Club, 2.30pm on 23 January and 20 February. Booking essential.

Thursday 18 February, 2.30pm, Half-term Flower Craft – paint your own flower plot and plant a flower as part of the Britain in Bloom campaign. More information by email.

Thursday 25 February, 2.30pm, an afternoon with Steve Bradley, garden book author, The Sun garden columnist and BBC local radio broadcaster. Booking essential.

Regular Groups:

Citizens Advice Havering runs a drop-in advice service every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm. 

Little Explorers and Baby Discovery, every Friday, 10am - 10.45am

RSPB Havering, second Friday of each month, 7.30pm - 9.45pm

Find out more about Hornchurch Library.

Rainham Library

Reading Challenge:

Each month Rainham Library has an Author Focus. In January author, John Connolly, will be the subject of a Reading Challenge at Rainham Library. Find out more by email.

Regular Groups:

Every Monday

10.30am, Wiggle and Giggle, songs and rhymes for children aged 2 - 4 years.

Every Tuesday

2pm - 4pm, Knit and Natter

Every Thursday

10.30am, Baby Bounce, songs and rhymes for babies from bith to two-years-old

11am, Computer Classes - free four week course, booking essential by email

Last Monday of each month

6.30pm - 8pm, Reading Group

First Tuesday of each month

10am, Listening Group for visually impaired people.

2pm - 4pm, Young at Heart Groupfor the over 55-year-olds

Find out more about Rainham Library.

Romford Library

Events:

Wednesday 3 February, 6.30pm. East London Poetry by Heart County Competition. Limited tickets available from here.

Regular Groups:

Every Monday, 3.30pm to 5pm during term time. Reading Buddies group.

Find out more about Romford Library

South Hornchurch Library

Regular Groups:

Havering Citizens Advice Bureau runs a drop-in advice service on alternate Tuesdays, 10am - 2pm.

Squiggles takes place every Friday,10am (term time only) and  consists of stories, rhymes and craft. All children, aged  two to five years, are welcome.

Find out more about South Hornchurch Library.

Upminster Library

Events: Cookery workshop Love Food Hate Waste Cookery Workshops will take place at Upminster Library on Wednesday 20 January, 10am – noon and Saturday 23 January, 1pm - 3pm, booking is essential. Book your free place here.

Regular Groups:

Every Thursday, 2pm to 4pm. Ancestry Session.

First Thursday of each month, 10.30am - 12.30pm, Techy Teas in partnership with Havering Citizens Advice Bureau. Email for more details.

Find out more about Upminster Library.

Collier Row Library

Regular Groups:

Every Friday 

10.30am - 12noon and 1.30pm - 3.30pm Knit and Natter

Second Monday of each month

6.30pm - 8pm, Reading Group

First Thursday of each month

11am - 12.30pm Reading Group

Find out more about Collier Row Library.

Elm Park Library

Events:

Tuesday 16 February, 10am - 11.30am. Adult Craft Workshop: Cards for Men. Booking essential.

Regular Groups:

Baby Bounce, Every Wednesday (term time only), 10am. Nursery rhymes and songs for babies.

In Stitches, Every Thursday (term time only), 2pm. Join our lively group of knitters for tea, a chat and to swap ideas.

Evening Reading Group, First Monday of the month, 6.30pm. Come along and listen to the group review their latest read and pick up the next book.

Elm Park Writing Group, Second Wednesday of the month,  1pm. Join us to share and discuss your stories and poems.  Everybody welcome.

Daytime Reading Group, First Thursday of the month, 11am. Come along and listen to the group review their latest read and pick up the next book.

Find out more about Elm Park Library.

Harold Hill Library progress

Work is still progressing on the new Harold Hill Library in the Hilldene Shopping Centre. The roof is currently being installed and wall panels have arrived on site ready for installation.

The target date is for the new library to open in summer 2016.

Book back where it belongs

A 325-year-old book by a Romford author has been returned to its proper home at Ilford Central Library’s Information and Heritage Department after a resident brought it to Upminster Library. The book is Boanerges and Barnabas: Judgement and Mercy or Wine and Oil for Wounded and Afflicted Souls by Francis Quarles, an author born in Romford in 1592. It was found in a box of books donated to a local school and had been missing for many years. Read the full story here.

Free computer use at your local library

Every library in Havering has computers available for free use by the public, as well as free WiFi access. Just call in to your nearest library to find out more.

It's easy to do it online

There's lots you can do online with Havering Libraries including: Renew or reserve books Download eBooks and audiobooks

Book meetings and exhibitions

Most Havering libraries have meeting rooms you can hire at reasonable rates. Some libraries also have exhibition space available. Submit a booking application online.

Are you using the free Libraries app?

Remote catalogue search Now you can find a title, reserve, borrow or renew it, straight from your mobile.  Barcode scan Why buy when you can borrow? The app allows you to scan the barcode on any title, anywhere, then search the catalogue to see if you can borrow it.  Library information From events to opening hours to directions, regularly updated service information gives you all the knowledge you need. Download the Android version or the Apple version.

Our Library Treasures App has been updated with lots more games for your children to play. To get the new version you might have to delete the old version first ….. and then get playing.

Like us on Facebook  Facebook is an ideal way to keep in touch with family and friends, and now it can be used to keep informed about what’s happening with Havering Libraries. So next time you are on Facebook check out our page and ‘like’ us.

Follow us on Twitter You can follow Havering Libraries on Twitter for the latest news.

Check out Havering's history

If you are interested in Havering's history, want to start tracing your family history, find an old newspaper report, or information about your house or street in the past visit our Local Studies and Family History Centre,  which is on the first floor of Central Library in Romford. ​​​​​​

Library News Archive Past copies of Library News can be read here.