Summer Reading Challenge 2023

The most exciting part of the year for children is back...it's the SUMMER READING CHALLENGE! As always, presented by The Reading Agency and delivered in partnership with public libraries, we're proud to be bringing one of our favourite summer traditions to you once again. The 2023 theme is 'Ready, Set, Read!' and is all about games and sports. The Reading Agency have teamed up with the Youth Sport Trust to inspire children to discover the power of sport and play through reading. 

Aimed at children aged 4-11, the Summer Reading Challenge invites your children to read six books from the library service over the course of the summer holidays, collecting stickers for each book as they go, and earning a medal and certificate if they manage to read all six. We'll be supporting this with a host of activities all over the county, which you can keep up-to-date with on our social media channels. 

We're launching the Summer Reading Challenge on Saturday 8^th July at Chesterfield Library, where we'll have fun games and activities for your children to take part in from 10am-12noon, and you'll be able to sign up from that date forwards in all our libraries across Derbyshire.

Click here for more info, and we can't wait to see thousands more children taking part again this year!

Illustrations are by Loretta Schauer and logo artwork is by Lizzie Everard. All © The Reading Agency 2023

The Women’s Prize for Fiction

Barbara Kingsolver has won the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction with her tenth novel Demon Copperhead. Unanimously chosen by the judges, it is the second time that Barbara Kingsolver has won the prize: she is the first double winner of the Prize having previously won in 2010 with The Lacuna.

Don't forget you can request titles via our online catalogue,

For further information including the shortlist and longlist, click here.

2023 The Yoto Carnegies 

It’s a historic win as the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing is awarded to a Book in Translation for the first time, 'The Blue Book of Nebo', written and translated by Manon Steffan Ros. For the second year running a graphic novel wins Illustration Medal, 'Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear' by Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung. For further information on the award, click here. To request a title to borrow from Derbyshire Libraries go to our online catalogue.

The International Booker

The International Booker Prize is the most significant award for a single work of translated fiction, awarded annually for a novel or short story collection written originally in any language, translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. The winner is 'Time Shelter' by Georgi Gospodinov, translated from Bulgarian by Angela Rodel. It is the first time a book from Bulgaria has won the prize.

For further information on the prize visit the website, and request titles from our online catalogue here.

Derbyshire Record Office - Crowning Glory

Inspired by the recent coronation of King Charles III, our new on-site exhibition is ‘Crowning Glory’, featuring material from our collections relating to coronations of the past, from Henry VIII through to Queen Elizabeth II.

Documents on display include a transcript of a “coronation oath” taken by King Henry VIII in 1509, and a letter describing the coronation procession of Queen Victoria in 1837: “…I had no idea of the magnificence of the State Carriages and horses with their rich trappings never having seen anything of the kind before...”

Other items to feature are invitations to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which include the dress regulations for those attending the ceremony. Apparently ladies were free to wear their tiaras, jewelled pins, flowers and ribbon bows, but feathers were not allowed!

The exhibition is at the Record Office in Matlock from 15th June until 29th September. Our normal opening hours apply.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Buxton Museum & Art Gallery Temporary Closure

Peak Buildings, which house Buxton Museum and Art gallery, has been temporarily closed for building structure investigations by Derbyshire County Council’s Property Services.

At the moment, it is difficult to estimate how long the building will need to be closed for, but investigations and remedial work are likely to take some time to complete. Buxton Museum and Art Gallery will keep everyone informed as and when they have any updates, via their websites and social media. The staff will also continue to generate online content, including blogs, exhibitions and research. 

Check out the collection online via Wonders of the Peak, Picture the Past and Depicting Derbyshire.

Further information can be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Adult Community Education

Book your Autumn 2023 course - coming soon!

Looking to learn something new? Whether you're hoping to improve your skills for work or want to pursue a personal interest, our courses are the perfect way to do it.

We have exciting news to share with you.

• Course bookings will open on Monday 3 July
• and we have a new booking system!

This new system will streamline the process and make it easier to secure your course. You can access the new booking system through our website.  Just click here to book your course.

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 July are:

In eBook and eAudiobook format:

• Rites of Spring - Anders de la Motte
• We are never meeting in real life - Samantha Irby
• Robin Hood book 2 - Piracy, paintballs & zebras - Robert Muchamore

In eBook only:

• Finding Love in Positano - Lucy Coleman

in eAudiobook only: 

• Safe With Me - K.L.Slater
• Gone Tomorrow - Lee Child

New Adult Books Coming in July

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

A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh

Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they've signed up for. Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, they won't just be eliminated - they'll be exposed live on air. The stakes are higher than they'd ever imagined, and they're trapped. The disappearance of a contestant wasn't supposed to be part of the drama. Detective Ffion Morgan has to put aside what she's watched on screen, and find out who these people really are - knowing she can't trust any of them. And when a murderer strikes, Ffion knows every one of her suspects has an alibi - and a secret worth killing for.

A Song of Me and You by Mike Gayle

Helen and Ben parted as heartbroken 18-year-olds and went their very separate ways. Twenty years later, mother-of-two-teenagers Helen is still in Manchester, a part-time primary teacher, stunned by the behaviour of her love-rat husband. In an old T-shirt and scruffy jeans, she feels at the lowest point in her life. And suddenly, impossibly, Ben is standing on her doorstep. Tired maybe, lonely even, but clearly still the world-famous, LA-based multi-millionaire rockstar he has become. Can you ever go back.

Earth, by Chris Packham & Andrew Cohen

Andrew Cohen and Chris Packham narrate the biography of the Earth, revealing the most epic moments from its history, from the first seconds of it's existence to the arrival of it's most incredible inhabitants, us. But humans take a back seat for this story as the Earth takes centre stage.

This Month We Recommend You Read...

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

Arkspire by Jamie Littler

Arkspire is a city obsessed by magic. The five Arcanists - a group of all-powerful magicians - have protected the great city for as long as anyone can remember. Within the hustle and bustle of these cobbled streets lives Juniper Bell, a thief who'd do anything for her family - even her unbelievably annoying sister, Elodie. Then one night, something incredible happens. A mysterious stolen relic explodes, revealing a mysterious creature, Igna - who appears to 'bond' with Juni. The only creatures like that are allegedly dangerous enemies of the Arcanists - and it's not long before they turn their attention to Juni. Soon Juni, Igna and everyone she loves are pulled into an extraordinary world of magic, power and prestige - but also grave danger. It seems the world Juni thought she knew is nothing but a lie - and now only Juniper and Igna can bring it down.

The Skull by Jon Klassen (Author & Illustrator)

In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?

Goddesses and Heroines by Jean Menzies (Author) & Katie Ponder (Illustrator)

With profiles of over 80 goddesses, heroines, and legendary women featured, this is an introduction to the key female figures from cultures all over the world. More than 30 beloved stories are retold by Jean Menzies. Find out how Japanese goddess of the dawn Ame-no-Uzume saved the day by dancing; how ancient Greek witch Medea helped to defeat a dragon; and how legendary Celtic warrior Scathach trained the hero Cu Chulainn to fight. In addition, the reference section is packed with extra information, including a pronunciation guide.

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!