 This February the British Library’s touring Fantasy Exhibition will be at Huntingdon Library. To celebrate we are having a month full of fantastic events for all ages! Click on the titles to know more.
Sat 3rd Feb—10am- 4pm- Role-Playing and Board Games day
Sat 10th Feb—10am- 4pm Mini Fantasy Convention
Tue 20th Feb—10.30am-12pm—Fantasy Lanterns
Wed 21st Feb—2-3pm—Fantasy in the Fens Talk
Wed 21st Feb—5-6.30pm—Worldbuilding Workshop
Sat 24th Feb—10.30am-12pm—Fantasy Digital Art
For more information call 0345 045 5225, email: Huntingdon.referral@cambridgeshire.gov.uk ask a member of staff at the library or go to Fantasy February in Huntingdon — Library.Live
The Fantasy Exhibition will move to St Neots Library in March – look out for more events!
Why not join one of our Read A Little Aloud sessions and listen to our volunteers reading aloud in a friendly and relaxed environment? The sessions are a great opportunity to listen to a variety of poems and extracts from books and learn about authors who might be new to you. You can sit back, relax and listen or you can get more involved. There will be an opportunity to discuss what you’ve heard and if you’d like you can bring along a piece and read it to the group yourself. But there’s no pressure.
The monthly themed Read A Little Aloud sessions take place in different locations across Cambridgeshire. These are drop-in events. To find the closest library to you offering Read Aloud sessions, please visit Read a Little Aloud - Cambridgeshire County Council.
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The theme for the festival is Caring for Our Planet with a particular focus on three Rs of sustainability: Reconnect, Reuse, and Recycle. Our libraries are delighted to be hosting several events funded by the festival, and our own activities inspired by the Festival’s theme. https://bit.ly/Festivalofstories
The spring What’s On in Cambridgeshire Libraries lists these events as well as other activities that support our commitment to the Green Libraries Manifesto. Look out for the green leaf logo!
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Rock Road Library will be closed on Thursday 15th February and on the morning of Friday 16th February due to scheduled repairs. Open+ will also not be available during this period. We hope to resume normal opening hours from 3pm on Friday afternoon.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this closure. If you need a library on these dates, please do visit one of your nearest alternative libraries:
Cambridge Central library, 7 Lion Yard, Cambridge, CB2 3QD
Clay Farm Library, Clay Farm Centre, Hobson Square, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 9FN
You can also visit our website to access our eServices, browse the library catalogue, or renew your items: Libraries - Cambridgeshire County Council
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Queering the Classics
Cambridge Central Library
Saturday, February 10th, 11am-12pm
Author C.A. Castle introduces “The Manor House Governess”, a contemporary, queer homage to classic literature. Set in Cambridge, it’s a joyous, uplifting story about finding yourself, and a reminder that queerness can thrive in the present whilst embracing the literary past.
Book your free ticket via Cambridgeshire Libraries Events | Eventbrite or just come along on the day.
For more info Queering the Classics — Library.Live (squarespace.com)
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We subscribe to the ClearVision Project, a postal lending library of children’s books in print and braille. We swap these books throughout the year, so there are new titles available every few months. Our current books are a range of picture books, stories, and junior non-fiction. These are a mix of grade 1 and grade 2 braille and come in different formats:
- Ring binders of A4 sheets of braille together with a standard print copy of the book.
- Spiral bound picture books interleaved with clear pages of braille, so the words and braille can both be read at once.
Search “Clearvision” on our library catalogue to see what is available. You can browse the collection at Cambridge Central Library or reserve them on the catalogue to be picked up at your local library.
You can find out more about the library services we offer for people with a visual or print impairment on Cambridgeshire County Council website or on our library catalogue.
Find out more about the ClearVision Project on their website.
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 Click on the button below to take a look at our full selection of new books for February.
Our Cambridgeshire Listens and Cambridgeshire Reads collections bring you a wide range of books to borrow in eBook or eAudiobook format. Available for multiple use, they're great for reading groups and workplace reads. You can even listen and read at the same time!
Each month the selection of adult, young adult and children's titles are refreshed - they're available to borrow over a 60 day period. Try the links to look at this month's offerings.
We have 8 titles available as both Reads and Listens this month:
The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell, Maxwell's Demon by Steven Hall, The Cat Who Caught a Killer by L T Shearer, The Hideout by Camilla Grebe, You, Me and the Space in Between Us by Matt and Sarah Davies, The Witches of Vardo by Anya Bergman, Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston, These Days by Lucy Caldwell.
 We also have 6 adult fiction titles available as just Listens:
The Lessons by Naomi Alderman, The Rat Catcher by Kim Kelly, The No-Show by Beth O'Leary, The Mystery of Four by Sam Blake, The Empress by Gigi Griffis, The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.
 Also available are these 5 junior and teen titles:
Thorn by Intisar Khanani, Girls in Love by Jaqueline Wilson, Five O'clock Tales by Enid Blyton, Adventures in Brambly Hedge by Jill Barkem, The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton.
This year's theme is 'My Voice Matters' to help empower children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves. Almost two thirds of children aged 8-11 say they feel stressed, sad or worried at least once a month.
Cambridgeshire Libraries have books in our Reading Well collections which can help children and young people understand their emotions and cope with tough times. Browse our Reading Well for Children booklist or the Reading Well for Teens booklist and choose from a selection of story books, information books with self-help techniques, poetry, personal stories, graphic formats and fiction.
For more information on Children’s Mental Health Week, please visit: Children's Mental Health Week (childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk)
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February 6th is Safer Internet Day. Don’t forget that libraries can help you learn more about how to be safe online all year round, for example through the Safety and Security Online module on Learn My Way.
To mark the occasion, we’re hosting a free drop-in session at Cambridge Central Library on Thursday 8th February (10-11.30am), where you can join our friendly staff and volunteers to learn more about how you and your family and friends can use the Internet safely. There’s no need to book; just come along on the day!
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Are you signed up to the 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five free app?
No? Then download this menu of fun, affordable and engaging activities that pre-schoolers will love! 50 Things to Do | Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
Cambridgeshire libraries have many of the books listed with each activity, as well as many more that can help you get the most from the activities. Prepare before you start an activity by reading up about it in one of our fabulous information books, or by sharing a wonderful story. Many of the activities also tie-in with our library events programme, so we have what you need to start on your 50 Things adventure.
Saturday 10th February is Lunar New Year, an event based on the lunar or lunisolar calendar and marked by celebrations across various countries in East and Southeast Asia.
We’ll be entering the Year of the Dragon, and to mark the occasion we’re delighted to welcome the Cambridge Chinese Academy back to Cambridge Central Library for a community-led family crafts session. You’re invited to decorate paper lanterns, paint a panda, and try your hand at Chinese calligraphy. This free drop-in event will take place on Saturday 10th February from 11am-1pm and all are welcome.
To find out what else is happening in our libraries, please visit Library Live. And don’t forget you can visit our catalogue to explore our diverse range of stock, including books in Chinese and about Chinese culture.
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February 21st is International Mother Language Day. Did you know Cambridgeshire Libraries offer free access to resources in a range of languages, as well as language learning support? This is one of the ways we welcome new arrivals into our communities and celebrate diversity and multilinguism.
For example, did you know that you can:
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The annual Time to Talk Day takes place on the 1st of February this year. The day is all about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health.
We all have mental health. By talking about it we can support ourselves and others. There are many ways to do this. You can share on social media using #TimeToTalk or have conversations with your friends and family.
Visit Time to Talk Day website to find out how to take part and learn useful tips to start the conversation.
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In our January newsletter, we wrote about the two 30-min library wellbeing walks from Huntingdon Library and St Neots Library on Mondays. Unfortunately, due to lack of volunteers, the walks are now on pause from February onwards until further notice.
For more information about wellbeing walks and the volunteer walk leader opportunity in Huntingdonshire, please visit Wellbeing Walks - Huntingdonshire.gov.uk
The Library Presents is calling on the everyone to help select the acts they would like to see perform in Cambridgeshire from May to July.
The power is in your hands until 9 February! Just days to make your choices!
Choose from cutting edge drama, fun family shows, incredible music and inspiring dance.
Which artists will gain your support and earn a place on The Library Presents Spring 2024 Season?
View the menu as PDF or videos and choose online at Library Live | The Library Presents
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Have you ever wanted to turn your hobby into an income stream or even into a business? Do you make greetings cards? Do you want to be a music tutor? Or you want to use your creativity to make and print t-shirts, but you don’t know how to start.
Don’t worry, you can use your free library membership to access a massive range of support. Our Business and IP Centre service can help you research what you need to consider, what training and qualifications you need and more. We offer a range of free support where you can find out, learn and understand what you need to know to start or grow your idea.
Our BIPC service provides free support for people like you. Visit the BIPC webpage to find out more – https://bit.ly/BIPC-LearnMore.
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