Library Service Consultation

Derbyshire residents are invited to have their say on a number of proposals which aim to keep library buildings open, as well as creating a modern, agile, family-friendly and sustainable service across the county. The proposals can be found in the library service’s new draft strategy 'A Modern Library Service for Derbyshire’ and can be found here

The proposals are aimed at meeting necessary budget savings and reflecting changing patterns of library use while ensuring the service remains as accessible, efficient and cost-effective as possible.

Complete the Derbyshire Public Library Service Consultation Survey here or ask for a paper copy in your local library. The closing date for responses is Saturday 2 November 2024. 

If you have any questions about the consultation please email publiclibrary.consultation@derbyshire.gov.uk 

Get Online Week

Returning again in 2024, Get Online Week is the Good Thing Foundation's annual campaign to rest awareness of Digital Inclusion. As part of this, we want to remind you of where you can book 1-2-1 digital help sessions with volunteers in some of our libraries across Derbyshire, whether you or someone you know needs help with setting up an email address, learning to use a word processor, or learning to use their tablet or smartphone.

The following libraries have dedicated 1-2-1 help sessions which can be booked by getting in touch as below (unless otherwise stated):

• Alfreton Library - through computer buddy volunteer - ring 01629 531481 or email alfreton.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Tuesdays at 10.15am & 11.15am
• Ashbourne Library - through library staff - ring 01629 533950 or email ashbourne.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Fridays from 4.30pm
• Buxton Library - through computer buddy volunteer - ring 01629 533460 or email buxton.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Tuesdays at 10am and 11am
• Chesterfield Library - through computer buddy volunteer - ring 01629 533400 or email chesterfield.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Wednesdays at 2pm, 3pm & 4pm
• Dronfield Library - through Citizens Advice NED - ring 0808 250 5702 or email digitalconnect@netcab.org.uk - no set day
• Eckington Library - through Citizens Advice NED - ring 0808 250 5702 or email digitalconnect@netcab.org.uk - no set day
• Glossop Library - through PC Refurb - ring 01629 531199 or email glossop.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Wednesdays from 1pm (drop-in session - no need to book)
• Glossop Library - through library staff - ring 01629 531199 or email glossop.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Thursdays 10.30-11.30am (drop-in session - no need to book)
• Ilkeston Library - through computer buddy volunteer - ring 01629 533275 or email ilkeston.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Wednesdays 10.30am, 11.30am & 12.30pm
• Wirksworth Library - through computer buddy volunteer - ring 01629 533730 or email wirksworth.library@derbyshire.gov.uk - Friday mornings, no set time

Citizens Advice NED will also be available in Dronfield & Eckington Libraries on Thursday 17th October from 10am-2pm as part of Get Online Week to offer 1-2-1 support with their Digital Champions. These are drop-in sessions where no booking is needed.

Where possible, library staff will provide quick ad hoc digital help for common IT issues in our libraries, and can signpost you to further help if they are not able to help out at the time.

Adult Events in October

Come along to a variety of events and health information for adults in libraries:

• Saturday 5th October to Saturday 2nd November - Hayfield Library - Hayfield Civic Trust Display featuring a collection of their resources - 01629 533438 - drop-in, no booking required
• Tuesday 8th October - Heanor Library - Live Life Better Derbyshire blood pressure checks and health advice - 10.00am-12pm - 01629 533795 - drop-in, no booking required
• .Wednesday 23rd October - Heanor Library - Citizen's Advice session for over 65s on home safety. etc. - 1-2pm - 01629 533795 - drop-in, no booking required
• Tuesday 29th October - Clay Cross Library - Crafty Creations, including macramé, knitting & crochet - 1-2.30pm - 01629 537084 - free but limited places so booking essential

October Activities for Families

Regular activities for children can be found on our website. Look out also for the following:

• Thursday 24th October - Pinxton Library - After school spooky crafts - 3-4.30pm - 01629 535815 - drop-in, for ages 4+
• Saturday 26th October - Heanor Library - Spooky Halloween crafts for all - 10.30am-12.30pm - 01629 533795 - drop-in, suitable for all ages
• Monday 28th October to Saturday 2nd November - Holmewood Library - Halloween Crafts including pick your own pumpkin paper craft, design your own Halloween wreath, make a ghoulish monster, and scavenger hunt - 01629 533355 - drop-in, suitable for all ages
• Thursday 31st October - Glossop Library - Spooky Activities! A morning of spooky crafts and games - 10am-12pm - 01629 531199 - drop-in, for ages 5+
• Thursday 31st October - Matlock Library - Spooktacular! Spooky stories and Creepy Crafts - 10.30am-12pm - 01629 533837 - drop-in, for ages 3+

First Great Derbyshire Libraries Adults vs Kids Book-Off

Everyone's favourite online event is back! Yes, the Book-Off is live for the whole of October on Facebook, with a fresh match at 9am every morning for you to take part in. This time it's Adult vs Kids authors all chosen by library staff, with 16 of each fighting it out to be crowned the ultimate winner. There are lots of legendary authors in the competition, but who wins? YOU decide!

Booker Prize Shortlist

The shortlist for the Booker Prize 2024 was announced on 16th September. You can learn more about the prize and the titles on the list here.

Don't forget to order your copies from our online catalogue to see who you think should win!

National Book Awards Shortlist

Over in the US, the shortlists for the National Book Awards have been announced. You can find out more information on the nominees here, for which the categories are Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People's Literature. 

Order your copies from our online catalogue.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize

The winner of the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize was announced on 19th September as 'Saltblood' by Francesca de Tores! You can learn more about the prize here, and request your copy of the book here.

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery 

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery is temporarily closed, but you can still see fascinating objects and paintings from their collections online. Be sure to follow their Facebook and Twitter pages to see what they're showing you next!

You can also find out general information here and follow their blog here. 

Derbyshire Record Office

Images online

Would you like to access the Record Office’s collections from the comfort of your own home, whilst waiting for your train or on your lunch break? Then log on to the Google Arts & Culture website. Derbyshire Record Office is one of over 2000 institutions in over 80 countries to share their collections with a global audience. To celebrate this year’s Derbyshire Day (22 September) we added over 50 new images of documents from our collection – from farming to fashion, animals to artificial teeth, we’re sure you’ll find something of interest. Browse these and over 20 specially curated exhibitions on subjects including Derbyshire’s industries, country houses, the history of handwriting and beautiful books in our local studies library, all on our Google Arts & Culture website.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook.

(image:1930s fashion at the Derbyshire Constabulary Annual Ball, Long Eaton)

Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service (DACES)

Our health and wellbeing courses can help you improve or support your physical health or mental wellbeing.

Learning is one of the 5 ways to wellbeing. When you join one of our wellbeing courses you will learn skills alongside tools and techniques to help you improve and support your wellbeing.

Types of wellbeing courses we offer include; gardening, cookery, yoga, photography.

Brightside courses can be a helpful part of your mental health recovery. It can be enjoyable to learn a new skill, build confidence and meet new people with similar interest.

Tel: 01629 531241

Email: adult.education@derbyshire.gov.uk

Visit DACES website to book

Multi Use titles 

Every month we get a new selection of titles on our FREE 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 October are:

In Ebook & Eaudio:

• The Maid of Lindall Hall - Kate Hutton
• A House of Ghosts - W.C. Ryan
• Blood & Sugar - Laura Shepherd-Robinson

In eBook only:

• Rayleigh Man in the Company of Monsters - Ciannon Smart

In eAudiobook only: 

• Happy - Fearne Cotton
• The Fraud - Zadie Smith

New Adult Books

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

The Map of Bones - Kate Mosse

Suzanne Joubert, a Huguenot refugee from war-torn France, is here to walk in her cousin's footsteps. Louise Reydon-Joubert, the notorious she-captain and pirate commander, landed at the Cape of Good Hope more than sixty years ago, then disappeared from the record as if she had never existed. Suzanne has come to find her - to lay the stories to rest. But all is not as it seems . . .

Franschhoek, Southern Africa, 1862. Nearly one hundred and eighty years after Suzanne's perilous journey, another intrepid and courageous woman of the Joubert family - Isabelle Lepard - has journeyed to the small frontier town once known as Oliftantshoek in search of her long-lost relations. A journalist and travel writer, intent on putting the women of her family back into the history books, she quickly discovers that the tragedies and crimes of the past are far from over. Isabelle faces a race against time if she is not only going to discover the truth but escape with her life . . .

By Any Other Name - Jodi Picoult

In 1581, Emilia Bassano is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain's mistress she has access to the theatre, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world's greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at a great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. His name? William Shakespeare . . .

In modern day New York, playwright Melina Green is determined to see one of her shows make the stage. After years of struggle to be recognised she has finally written again, inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor - Emilia Bassano, England's first published female poet. Although the challenges are different for her, four hundred years later, a woman's voice is still not heard like a man's. But what lengths will she be willing to go to in order to achieve her dreams?

Moving between Elizabethan England and modern day Manhattan, By Any Other Name is a beautifully written, compelling novel that explores the theme of identity and the ways in which two women, centuries apart-one of whom might just be the real author of Shakespeare's plays-are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.

The Wood at Midwinter - Susanna Clarke

Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees - and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.

One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst - and the path of her life is changed forever.

Children's Book Recommendations

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

The Bletchley Riddle - Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Maths whizz Jakob Novis has been recruited to the secret codebreaking centre at Bletchley Park. As Jakob works to crack the Nazi's Enigma cipher, his younger sister Lizzie is busy on an undercover mission of her own: to find their mother. Filled with codes to decipher and mysteries to unravel, this is the unputdownable historical adventure that will have you on the edge of your seats.

The Camel Who Had The Hump - Rachel Bright (Author) & Jim Field (Illustrator)

In the shimmering desert, a joyful herd of camels are out to find an oasis for a drink and a play. All, that is, except Cuthbert. He hasn't woken up in such a good mood. He's hot, he's tired and he certainly WON'T be walking today! There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that will get him out of his grump. Or is there? Might the desert's hoppiest, happiest creature be able to help?

Capybara: A First Field Guide to the Biggest Rodent in the World - Julia Mata (Author) & Greco Westermann (Illustrator)

You might know that capybaras are totally adorable and are related to guinea pigs, but there’s so much more to learn about these cuddly creatures! Discover how capybaras are perfectly adapted to swimming, why they like birds riding on their backs, and what makes them eat their own poo! You’ll also discover what it takes to become a capybara zoologist. Filled with simple science and plenty of animal facts, it’s a must for all capybara fans!

You can reserve them via our online catalogue.