Public Library Service Strategy Update

Earlier this year we appealed to local groups and organisations to come forward and work with us to make plans to transfer 20 out of 45 libraries to communities a reality.

A series of drop-in sessions and open days were held at all 20 libraries and groups were asked to submit expressions of interest.

Out of all the submissions of interest, 10 were strong enough to be accepted, and the groups behind the submissions are now working on building business cases to show their ideas are sustainable in the long-term. Further information about the areas which have now secured a group or organisation to run the local library can be found here

Communities will be kept informed as to the progress of their community-managed library in the next few months.

In the meantime, anybody wanting to register an interest in volunteering at their library can email community.libraries@derbyshire.gov.uk or tel: 01629 536166 and someone will call them back.

Your Life Story in Comics

Have you ever wanted to bring a story to life as a comic or graphic memoir? We're delighted to be hosting two events that will give you a start! Hosted by Louise Crosby from the Laydeez do Comics Team, this is an event where no drawing experience or knowledge of comics is required. The events will take place as follows:

Alfreton Library - Saturday 7th September - 10.30am - 12.30pm - tickets available here

Buxton Library - Tuesday 10th September - 2-4pm - tickets available here

Tickets cost £3.20 for each event.

Getting Started with your Novel Workshop

Bestselling author Mike Gayle returns by popular demand to deliver another workshop on 'Getting Started with your Novel'! An excellent opportunity for anyone looking to kickstart their writing career.

Saturday 21st September, 11am - 3.45pm. Tickets cost £29.76 and are available here

Writing Fiction for Women's Magazines Workshop

A one-day writing workshop for adults with Joanna Courtney, part of the Writing Ambitions workshop programme presented by Arts Derbyshire in partnership with Derbyshire Libraries.

This commercially focused one-day workshop will help you develop your writing style to create sharp, entertaining and saleable stories for the women's magazines.

Friday 27th September, 9.30am - 3.30pm at Chesterfield Library. Tickets cost £29.93 and are available to buy here.

‘A drawn response to Derbyshire Landscape – printing from metal’ with Peter Knight

Peter Knight is an artist and printmaker who has been resident in Derbyshire for over 40 years. In this talk Peter gives an insight into printmaking techniques as they relate to the exhibits on show in his exhibition 'Derbyshire perspectives-Reading Landscape’, on display at the record office until January 2020.

Mon, 30 September at Derbyshire Record Office 2.30pm - 3.30pm

Derby Book Festival, The Autumn Edition 26 & 27 October 2019

Derby Book Festival’s first Autumn Edition will be held over three days from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th October with ten events planned.

The main Festival was held for the fifth time in June over nine days. The Autumn Edition will feature the usual eclectic mix of fiction and non-fiction events featuring some of the most popular genres: politics, thrillers, adventure … and lots more. Guests include Sir Vince Cable MP, Nicci French (aka Nicci Gerrard and Sean French), and Joanna Cannon.

Tickets go on sale for all events from Monday 9 September, when you can also pick up a copy of the programme from QUAD, libraries, arts venues, cafés and tourist offices, or read it online at: www.derbybookfestival.co.uk

The Summer Reading Challenge Space Chase

There's still time for children to complete the Summer Reading Challenge. The last day is Saturday 7th September.

Some libraries will be having special medal ceremonies so ask at your local library. 

For more information about the Summer Reading Challenge and events across all of our libraries, visit our website and our Facebook events page.

This Month We Recommend You Read...

This is what we think you should request from our online catalogue this month...

In picture books, a personal choice by our very own Lionel the Library Llama is Llama Destroys the World by Jonathan Stutzman in which a rip in his dancing pants creates a black hole (naturally).

For older children we recommend The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson, a magical tale of bears, princesses and dragons. 

For adults we recommend The Testaments by Margaret Attwood, the long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, picking up the story 15 years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead. 

Request your copies from our online catalogue here.

Reader Group Corner

Our reader group ‘spotlight’ author this month is Toni Morrison. The first black female writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature for Beloved, who sadly died last month. If you've not read her yet, browse our online catalogue here, where you'll find copies of all of her work to explore.

Reading Groups for Everyone is a great site for reading groups, it features book reviews, resources and competitions to win book sets and author visits. Click here to find out more.

Library Love

We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on what libraries mean to you. Have you accessed our free work and money help and secured employment? Have you attended a Baby Babble programme, made new friends, and been able to share your parenting woes? Or has your child developed more confidence in reading since taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge? If you would like to share your story, please email us: ask.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

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