Spiral Arts Coronation craft workshops

To celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III Spiral Arts are running library craft workshops giving participants the opportunity to create designs to commemorate this very special event. Places are free but limited and must be booked. Please see below for details.

Create a miniature Coronation scene using card sculpture and 3D designs - suitable for age 9 years to adult:

Staveley Library, Tuesday 30^th May, 10am to 12noon.

Contact Staveley Library to book your free place:

01629 533629    Staveley.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

Ashbourne Library, Friday 2^nd June, 2 to 4pm.

Contact Ashbourne Library to book your free place:

01629 533950   Ashbourne.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

More Spiral Arts Coronation Craft Workshops

Crowning of King Charles III – create a King from paper with a working mechanism that enables him to place the crown on and off his head - suitable for children age 4 to 10:

Buxton Library, Tuesday 30^th May, 2 to 3.30pm.

Contact Buxton Library to book your free place:

01629 533460 buxton.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

Long Eaton Library, Wednesday 31^st May, 10.30am to 12 noon.

Contact Long Eaton Library to book your free place: 01629 531470

longeaton.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

Heanor Library, Thursday 1^st June, 10.30am to 12 noon.

Contact Heanor Library to book your free place: 01629 533795

heanor.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

We are holding other Coronation activities in some of our libraries, please see our social media Facebook or Twitter or contact your local library here to find out what’s happening in your area.

National Videogame Museum – Level-Up exhibition at Chesterfield Library!

The National Videogame Museum is visiting Chesterfield Library with a new “Level-Up” pop-up exhibition - Tuesday 23rd, Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th May, between 10am and 4pm.

Why not drop-in and take a look!

Pop-up exhibits will feature a variety of items to help discuss videogame history, culture and highlight why videogames matter in our lives.

There will be:

• Playable games
• Show and tell objects. These will vary between objects in our collection, artwork and behind the scenes materials
• Hi-Score competitions
• Photo Opportunities

“Level-Up” is a project by the National Videogame Museum, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Big Eurovision Read

The booklist for the Big Eurovision Read, a reading for pleasure campaign celebrating the power of music, has been announced. As part of EuroFestival, a Eurovision celebration in Liverpool, The Reading Agency and BBC Arts are sharing an inspiring booklist full of brilliant suggestions of great reads on the theme of the Power of Music. From fiction to autobiographies, the list of twelve – or ‘douze’ – titles has been crowdsourced from the library sectors and curated by librarians from across the UK and features something for everyone. See the full booklist at the Reading Agency website here.

Derbyshire Record Office -

How to start your family tree

Have you decided to start your family tree, but don’t know where to begin? Or perhaps you’d like to find out more about the history of your house and your local area? We have guides to get you started, whether you’re looking for a person, a business or even your old school – you can find them all on our blog.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for fascinating stories about Derbyshire’s history.

Image: The Robinson family of Brampton in 1914 (image courtesy of www.picturethepast.org.uk)

Buxton Museum & Art Gallery

Buxton Museum & Art Gallery is free to visit. Please check opening hours here.

You can also follow their blog - for information on the Normans in Derbyshire click here.

Ring 01629 533540 or email buxton.museum@derbyshire.gov.uk for more information.

Adult Community Education 

Are you interested in a career in Childcare, or would you like to learn more about child development? You could be eligible for a course for FREE.

Our Adult Education Service are holding information sessions on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 17 May 2023 at 1pm to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 7pm.

You could book onto the below courses for a June or September start:

• Early Years Practitioner Level 2
• Early Years Educator Level 3
• Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools Level 2
• Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools Level 3
• Higher Level Teaching Assistant Level 4
• Diploma for the Children and Young Peoples Workforce Level 3

Other courses that we offer that complement the above qualifications include –

• Autism Awareness
• Suicide Awareness
• Children and Young People’s Mental Health Awareness
• Be Your Own Boss

To book a place on either of the information sessions please email workplace.learning@derbyshire.gov.uk stating the course that you would be interested in and the information session you can attend.

Derby Book Festival - 19th-27th May

Derby Book Festival will be bringing books to life with over 50 events across the city from 19 - 27 May 2023.  This year’s Festival will once again include some of the most celebrated, entertaining and well-loved authors and poets … Alastair Campbell, Patrick Gale, Brian Bilston, Charles Dowding, John Boyne, Alison Weir, Blake Morrison, T M Logan, Caleb Azumah Nelson … and many more!

There’s something for everyone whatever your age or interest – from Concorde to cookery, gardening to ghosts, seaside to singing. There will also be a Book Fair on Saturday 13 May at the Museum of Making. This year’s events will include The Big Book Bonanza on Saturday 27 May at Deda with a street fair and FREE theatre performances and children’s activities in Chapel Street. On Sunday 21 May there’ll be a special Takeover Day at Derby College with all the events under one roof, including events, Writing Workshops and the annual Book Quiz.

Tickets go on sale on 4 April. 

Pick up a Festival Programme from libraries, arts venues, cafes and tourist offices across the county.

To find out more and how to book tickets for all events, click here.

Multi Use titles 

Every month we get a new selection of titles on our BorrowBox app of both eBooks and eAudiobooks that can be taken out by multiple users at one time. These stay multi-use for 60 days, so if you have a book club and you're looking for your next title then one of these could be your next choice! 

You can find these titles on the main BorrowBox page, identified as a collection with 'No Waiting!' or 'Available Now!'

Titles available from May are:

In eBook and eAudiobook format:

• A Marvellous Light: Freya Marske
• Beautiful World, Where Are You: Sally Rooney
• The Khan: Saima Mir
• Manhunter: Chris Ryan
• The Instant: Amy Liptrot

In eAudiobook only:

• The Secrets of Sainte Madeleine: Tilly Bagshawe
• Maybe you should talk to someone: Lori Gottlieb

New Adult Books Coming in May

We’ve chosen to highlight three books published in May for you to enjoy. You can reserve them via our online catalogue.

The Throne - Ian Lloyd

In 'The Throne', Ian Lloyd will turn his inimitable, quick-witted style to these key events in British royal history, providing fascinating anecdotes and interesting facts: from William the Conqueror's Christmas Day crowning when jubilant shouts were mistaken by his guards as an assassination attempt to the dual coronation of William and Mary in 1689, and from the pared-back 'Half Crown-nation' of William IV to the televised spectacle of Elizabeth II's 1953 ceremony.

The Fall - Gilly Macmillan

Nicole and Tom's lives are changed overnight by a ten-million-pound lottery win. Before they know it they've moved into a state-of-the-art Glass Barn conversion in the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire. But their dream quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool, with a nasty wound on the back of his head. Someone close to home must be responsible…

Don't Look Back - Jo Spain

For one week, everything in Luke Miller's life is perfect. Surprised with a belated honeymoon by his wife, Rose, he's had seven days with her in a Caribbean paradise. It's more than he ever thought he'd deserve. But as they pack their bags, Rose breaks down, confessing that on the day they left London, a violent man from her past tracked her down and broke into their home. He wasn't expecting her to fight back. And, in her terror, Rose killed him …

This Month We Recommend You Read...

One of our favourite things to do is recommend amazing books to you! This month we recommend you check out these titles:

The Thames and Tide Club: The Secret City by Katya Balen

Clem and her friends Ash and Zara are members of the Thames and Tide Club! Every weekend they go mudlarking by the river, searching for treasures that have washed up on the shore. Clem has found old things, new things and a whole heap of rubbish. But one day, she finds something really special. Something magical that belongs in the river and must be returned to its rightful owner - or else. Before they know it, the Thames and Tide Club are on the weirdest, wildest, under-wateriest adventure they could possibly have imagined on a mission to save Under-water London!

Mega Robo Bros: Next Level by Neill Cameron (Author & Illustrator)

The latest book in the popular comic series. Alex and Freddy's powers are growing, as is their fame. But with fame comes danger, intrigue and evil robot doppelgangers! Can Alex and Freddy save London - and themselves - from disaster? It'll test their bravery and brotherhood like nothing before.

The Crayons Go Back To School by Drew Daywalt (Author) & Oliver Jeffers (Illustrator)

The hilarious crayons from 'The Day the Crayons Quit' are ready to go back to school! The crayons are getting ready to go back to school and each crayon has a subject they're looking forward to the most. They're also ready to meet new friends and let loose during their very favourite time of day - art class. This is a hilarious back-to-school story featuring everyone's favourite school supplies!

Order your copies of these fantastic books on our online catalogue.

Keep in touch with Derbyshire Libraries via social media

Follow us on our Derbyshire Libraries Facebook & Twitter pages, and talk to us about books on our new Blog page!