Children in East Sussex are being enlisted to help a team of ‘animal agents’ as this year’s Summer Reading Challenge gets underway.

Youngsters are being tasked with joining creatures who are out to crack a case at the library.

The annual challenge encourages youngsters aged 4 to 11 to read six library books during the summer holidays.

To encourage children to take up the challenge we have produced a video telling the story of the evil Agent Z’s attempt to sabotage the scheme with a secret device that sucks all the ink out of library books. More information can be found at: Kids team up with animal agents for reading challenge

Since April, Battle library has been operating from temporary accommodation kindly provided by Rother District Council, during a major refurbishment of library premises.

Enhanced lighting, complete redecoration, new carpets and shelving with a fresh design have transformed Battle into an airy, modern library environment with study desks and areas to relax and browse the selection of new stock.

There’s a redesigned counter and customers now also have the option of using a self-service kiosk in this busy library.

Redesigned exhibition space reflects the library’s role in hosting regular displays for the local community and existing art work has been re-displayed with greater impact.

The new children’s library has been a huge success with younger customers.

An informal coffee morning on 8th July was a great success, and was attended by many who had been involved in the project. 

OneClick and Zinio have rebranded to RB Digital. This will enable you to see your eMagazines and eAudiobooks in one app.

If you use OneClick you will get prompted to update your app to RB Digital.  If you use Zinio you will need to download the RB Digital app.  You can log into the app with either username and password and your accounts should sync.

 If you use both Zinio and OneClick and your accounts have not synced please email RBDigital@wfhowes.co.uk

Could you spare 30 minutes to help us find out how people look for things online?

Although we don’t want to give too much away at this stage, we are looking for people who can help us improve and give us some useful feedback. We are looking for people with a range of computer abilities.

We’re looking for volunteers to attend some sessions in libraries (Lewes or Eastbourne), or complete the tasks online, during the summer and autumn.

If you’d like to take part, please email us at rebecca.beesley@eastsussex.gov.uk 

 You don’t need to bring anything with you or prepare anything beforehand. We can also reimburse your travel costs.

This month, Diane, a volunteer in Polegate library, tells us about a book she loved: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

“Bel Canto established Ann Patchett as one of my favourite writers. She has the gift of writing excellent, beautiful , prose in a visual, literary style , involving  humour, emotion and detailed characterization, creating  eccentric and fascinating characters.

At first a political siege during a party in an unnamed South American country did not appear beguiling to me, but how wrong I was.  Patchett is able to paint glorious images of the characters, their captors and the subsequent complex interaction between them in what becomes an almost ridiculous situation. We get to know and care about each one, their thoughts and feelings, their dramatically altered lives and enforced daily routines as the siege unfolds. At the centre of the novel are richly drawn characters: a renowned soprano and her accompanist; the host of the party; his translator and a strong supporting cast, including the captors themselves.  All catapulted together. The wrong time. The wrong place. Romance, intrigue and the minutiae of these lives, unexpectedly and inextricably interwoven, proves to be enthralling. Highly recommended.”

You can borrow Bel Canto from our libraries or as an eBook from our eBook collection.