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 Newsletter Edition: February 2026
Contents:
- Celebrate National Library Lovers' Month!
- Laughing Library Adventures - new activity book
- Celebrate National Storytelling Week at a Library Storytime or Rhymetime
- Children's Mental Health Week
- Hester's Haunt - last few tickets left!
- National Year of Reading - make reading feel easy
- Safer Internet Day
- Discover a World of Comics on Libby
- Libby app - eBooks, eAudio, magazines and filtering
- Pressreader - for the sports enthusiasts and the puzzle lovers
- Opening Times and Social Stories
- Stay in Touch
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 2026 is the National Year of Reading and February is National Library Lovers’ Month - what could be a better time to discover an inspirational read at your local library?
National Library Lovers' Month is a time dedicated to honouring the places that bring stories to life, spark curiosity, and help our community learn and grow. It’s the perfect moment to celebrate everything we love about libraries: the joy of discovering a new favourite book, the excitement of family events, and the comfort of a welcoming space to read, play and explore.
Whether you’re a regular visitor or haven’t been in for a while, we invite you to drop by, cosy up with a great story, and rediscover how magical the library can be. So join us in celebrating National Library Lovers’ Month, and help us spread the love for reading, learning, and togetherness!
 Laughing🤣 Library Adventures!
Warning: content may cause side-splitting, aching cheeks and other side-effects related to excessive giggling. Open with caution!
You will find our latest activity booklet jam-packed with silly activities and hilarious books, all designed to make you chortle. The new booklets will be available to collect during the half term holiday, just show your library card to pick one up for free. There are wacky stickers to reward you for anything you tackle/tickle… and who knows what collecting them might earn you?!
Don't forget to show us your old booklet to collect your reward certificate!
 This fantastic annual event is a joyful celebration of the power of sharing stories. Stories teach us about the world; they allow us to step into someone else’s shoes and feel empathy; they help us to relax and escape and they can help develop essential early literacy skills.
Celebrate National Storytelling Week at a library storytime or rhymetime. Find the dates, times and locations here. Can't make it in person? Check out the National Literacy Trust website for their online videos and resources for storytelling at home.
New Rhymetime at Lindley Library
Fridays at 11.15am (term time only)
A fun and friendly session with rhymes. A great, interactive way to develop children's language and social skills while meeting with other parents and carers. Suitable for families with babies and/or children under 5 .
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 Did you know 1 in 5 children face mental health challenges? We’re supporting Children's Mental Health Week and this year’s theme of ‘This is My Place,’ encouraging self-acceptance and belonging. We strive to make all our libraries places where children and young people feel they belong.
Take part in an Art activity for Children's Mental Health Week
Find out more about the Reading Well for Children book collection. The books are available to borrow from your local library and some titles can be downloaded free on the Libby app.
 In Kirkburton they tell about Hester Whitaker, they say the ghost of the vicar’s wife still walks in the vicarage. It’s a story that harks back to the English Civil War in the 1640s involving violence, divided loyalties, betrayal, tragedy… all the makings of a good tale. Yorkshire-based young film duo, Digno Films, present 'Hester's Haunt', a dramatic retelling of the well-known Kirkburton legend with a Q&A session to follow. Light refreshments will be provided.
Lunchtime Club at the Kirklees Local Studies Library, Victoria Lane, Huddersfield
Hester’s Haunt: a Kirkburton Ghost Story, 1pm, Thursday 19th Feb 2026
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Busy days can get in the way of reading. These practical tips show how to weave stories into everyday family life in ways that feel natural, enjoyable and achievable.
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 Safer Internet Day 2026 will take place on the 10th of February 2026. You can find engaging books to help children navigate digital dangers like cyberbullying, screen time, and oversharing in a relatable, age-appropriate manner at your local library.
The 2026 theme is ‘Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI’. Everyone’s talking about AI, and with many children and young people hearing about and using AI online, it’s important they have the skills and confidence to make safe choices when they are using smart technology. The UK Safer Internet Centre has produced top tips and advice for parents, carers and grandparents covering how to talk about AI and help children use new technology in safe and responsible ways. Check out their website for a variety of Safer Internet Day resources and activities.
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 Did you know your library card gives you instant access to a huge collection of digital comics and graphic novels on Libby? Whether your family loves laugh‑out‑loud adventures, superhero showdowns, or beautifully illustrated stories, there’s something for every age and every reader.
Comics are perfect for encouraging reluctant readers, supporting visual literacy, or simply enjoying a fun, quick read together.
All you need is the Libby app — borrow instantly, read on any device, and never worry about late fees. It’s reading made easy, colourful, and exciting.
Why not check out a comic today and spark a new reading adventure at home?
 Borrow eAudio / eBooks - and now magazines!
We have over 29,000 eAudio and eBook titles, available free to download on the Libby app. Digital editions of over 5,000 magazine titles have also been added. Magazines are always available with no waiting lists, no loan limits and no due dates. Subscribe to a title to be notified when new issues come out.
You can use pins to automatically filter items for those that are written for children. Find out how here.
 Our collection of national and international titles available to read online or download includes The Football Paper and the Rugby Paper, ideal for sport-obsessed children to get their reading for pleasure hit!
If you enjoy a good mental workout, PressReader has plenty to keep you entertained:
• Crosswords (quick, cryptic, themed — take your pick)
• Sudoku from beginner to fiendishly difficult
• Word searches, logic puzzles, and brain teasers
• Puzzle pages from newspapers around the world
It’s like having a never‑ending puzzle book at your fingertips.
You have complimentary access with your Kirklees library card and PIN for 30 days before you have to sign in again. For more details, along with details of the text-to-speech and instant translation options, see our PressReader catalogue at: http://www.pressreader.com
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Our Opening Times and Social Stories
The addresses and opening times of all our libraries can be found on our website at: Locations and opening times | Kirklees Council
Here you will also find Social Stories for each library, which give you a visual tour of the different library buildings before you visit. These Social Stories are ideal for people with autism or anxiety and can be found in the opening times section for each library, under the "We are going to..." heading at the top. There is also a printable PDF version of each library's Social Story - click on the image to view Mirfield's.
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Linktree
Use our Linktree address to stay up to date with Kirklees Libraries and for easy access to our resources and services. linktr.ee/kirkleeslibraries
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