National Bookstart Week, reading group activities to celebrate National Reading Group Day and an update on all regular events across Havering libraries

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National Bookstart Week 5 - 11 June 2017

book start

The theme for this year’s National Bookstart Week  is Let’s Explore Outdoors! And the chosen book is Everybunny Dance! By Ellie Sandall.  The interactive storybook of Everybunny Dance! - brilliantly narrated by TV presenter and DJ Lauren Laverne can be found in the link below.    

Celebrations take place from today (Monday 5 June) to Sunday 11 June, with children’s events being organised in all of our libraries – please contact your library for more details.  

Bookstart Baby and Treasure packs are gifted throughout the year to all children in Havering at 0-12 months and 3-4 years – please contact your local Children’s Centre for more details.

And why not bring your babies and toddlers along to one of our regular Baby Bounce sessions below - held in all of our libraries!

EveryBunny Dance!

National Reading Group Day 24th June 2017

National

Celebrate National Reading Group Day with us by finding out about our Havering Libraries’ reading groups. Contact your library for more details.

 Reading groups for adults

  • Collier Row Library – First Wednesday of the month at 11am / Thursday 7 - 7.30pm
  • Elm Park Library – First Thursday of the month 6.30pm / First Friday of the month 10.30am
  • Gidea Park Library – Second Thursday of the month 6.45 - 7.45pm (every other month)
  • Harold Wood Library – Thursday 6.30pm (approx. every 4 weeks)
  • Hornchurch Library – First Monday of the month, 2.15pm / First Thursday, 7.30pm / First Friday, 2.15pm
  • Rainham Library – Last Monday of the month, 6.30pm
  • Romford Library – First Thursday of the month, 2 - 3pm
  • Upminster Library – Last Monday of the month, 2 - 3pm / First Thursday, 6 - 7pm.

Quick Reads Reading Groups

Adults reading shorter books “Quick Reads”.

  • Harold Hill Library – First Friday of the month 11-12pm
  • South Hornchurch Library – Second Thursday of the month, 2pm.

Listening Group

Adults listening to books on CDs.

  • Rainham Library – First Tuesday of the month, 10am.

Chatterbook

Come and share your favourite books for ages 7-11.  Term time only.  Free event.

  • Gidea Park Library – Third Thursday of the month, 4 - 5pm
  • Hornchurch Library – Third Tuesday of the month, 4 - 5pm.

Regular events:

Baby Bounce 
Songs and rhymes for ages 0-2. Term time only. Free event.

  • Collier Row Library – Wednesday 10.30 - 11am
  • Elm Park Library – Wednesday 10.30 - 11am
  • Gidea Park Library – Wednesday 11 - 11.30am
  • Harold Hill Library – Monday 10.30 - 11am and Tuesday 2 - 2.30pm
  • Harold Wood Library – Friday 2.15 - 2.45pm
  • Hornchurch Library – Wednesday 2.15 - 2.45pm
  • Rainham Library – Thursday 10.30am
  • Romford Library – Thursday 2.15 - 2.45pm
  • South Hornchurch Library – Friday 10.30 - 11am
  • Upminster Library – Monday 1.30 - 2pm.

Reading Buddies
Does your child need help with reading? We have volunteers ready to listen to them read. Term time only.  

  • Collier Row Library – Saturday 10 - 11am
  • Elm Park Library – Thursday 3pm
  • Gidea Park Library – Thursday 3.45 - 4.45pm
  • Harold Hill Library – Monday 3.30 - 5pm
  • Harold Wood Library – Thursday 3.30 - 5pm
  • Hornchurch Library – by arrangement
  • Romford Library – Monday 3.30 - 5pm
  • South Hornchurch Library – Thursday 3.45pm
  • Upminster Library – Monday 3.30 - 4.30pm and other times by arrangement.

Techy Buddies
Sessions with our volunteer Techy Buddies to help with your ICT problems.

  • Collier Row Library – First Wednesday of the month 2 - 4pm
  • Gidea Park Library – Saturday 10 - 11am (booking required) / Wednesday – 5 week beginners course 10 - 11am (booking required)
  • Harold Hill Library – Tuesday 11 - 12noon / Thursday 11 - 12noon / Alternate Saturdays 1.30-  3.30pm (drop in or bookings welcome)
  • Harold Wood Library – Wednesday 10.30am - 12.30pm / Thursday 2.30 - 4.30pm (booking required)
  • Hornchurch Library – First Tuesday of the month 2 - 4pm
  • Rainham Library – Last Wednesday of the month 10.30am - 12.30pm
  • Romford Library – Wednesday 10am - 12pm
  • South Hornchurch Library – Alternate Saturdays 1.30 -  3.30pm
  • Upminster Library – Thursday 10.30am - 12.30pm (booking required) / other appointments by arrangement

Gidea Park Library   

01708 434978

victim support

Events at Gidea Park Library

Victim Support

A talk by Nilima Islam from Victim Support. Thursday 15 June, 5pm.  

A Victim Support drop-in service will be starting on Friday 9 June (every Friday),10am - 12pm.

Kids’ Knits

Bring your kids along to learn how to knit. Materials included.

Thursdays, 3.45 - 4.45pm. Term time only and £2 per visit.

Ages 8 - 12. Booking is essential.

Read & Rhyme
Storytime for ages 2 - 5.

Fridays 11.15am and term time only.

Hornchurch Library 

01708 34903

Events at Hornchurch Library

Baby Bounce
Songs and rhymes your baby will love every Wednesday at 2.15pm, term time only.

Ages 0 - 2.

Chatterbooks
Come and share your favourite books on Tuesday 16 May 4 - 5pm.

Ages 7 - 11.

Reading Groups 
First Thursday of every month at 7.30pm or first Friday of every month at 2.15pm. New members welcome. 

Reading

Storytime

Ages 2 - 5. Tuesdays  2.15 pm, term time only.

Rainham Library

01708 434970

Farmer duck

Events at Rainham Library

Storytime and Craft Event – Farmer Duck

Music, singing, dancing, crafts and storytime. Biscuits and juice provided!

Friday 9 June 11am. 
£1 a ticket. 
Please contact your library to book a space.

Listening Group

Our award winning reading group for blind and partially sighted customers.

First Tuesday of the month,10am.

Please ask Rainham Library for more information.

Upminster Library

01708 434933

Seaside

Seaside Craft Event

Suitable for all pre-school children.  Tuesday 13 June, 10.30am. 
£4 members/£5.50 non members.  Advance booking essential.

Adult card making workshop

Tuesday 20 June 1.30 - 3pm.  
£7 members/£8.50 non-members.  Booking essential.

Tapestry Information Service

Thursday 29 June, 3.30 - 4.30pm. Come along for information and advice about Tapestry services – homecare, footcare, coach trips, wellbeing centres and clubs etc.

Storytime
For ages 2 - 5 every Monday,11am; Wednesday, 9.30am and Saturday 11.30am. Term time only.

storytime

Events at Upminster Library

Help & Advice on Searching Your Family History
Thursdays  2 - 4pm

Pamper Yourself
Every second Friday of the month, 12.00 - 4.30pm.

Booking is essential.

Payment to therapist on the day.

Please speak to a member of staff to book your place.

Aromatic Reflexology
Monthly, 12.00 - 4.30pm.

Booking is Essential. Payment to therapist on the day.

The Great Upminster Sewing Bee
Enjoy sewing, quilting, patchwork?  Need help or advice? 

Come along and meet like-minded people.

Every Wednesday 10 - 12pm.  

Events at Elm Park Library

Adult card-making workshop

Friday 16 June, 1.30 - 3pm.
 £7 members/£8.50 non-members.

Library opening hours 

To find out the opening hours of all libraries across the borough, click on the link below. 

Read more

Harold Wood Library

01708 434975

Events at Harold Wood

Young at Heart Club – The Connection at St Martins

Speaker Nick Butler will talk about the work of The Connection, one of London’s busiest homeless charities.  Wednesday 14 June, 11am. 
£1 including refreshments.

Computer Classes

A volunteer will be available to help with basic computer skills every:

  • Wednesday 10.30am - 12.30pm
  • Thursday 2.30 - 4.30pm

Price: Free – booking is essential.

In Stitches Group
Join our friendly knitting and sewing group on Friday at 10.30am.

Price: Free 

Read & Rhyme
Storytime for ages 2 - 5 every Wednesday at 10.30 am. Term time only.

Saturday Craft  Club
Every Saturday at 10.45am for ages 4+. 

Price: £2 library members / £2.50 non members.

Romford Library

01708 432389

Events at Romford Library

Adult Reading Zone
Read for pleasure, to learn or to pick up where you left off. No age limit and sessions are free.

Please ask a staff member for further details.

art club

Art Club
Every Thursday at 3.30 - 5pm, term time only

Ages 4-11.

Price: £1 per child.

Adult Colouring Book Group
Come and get creative at our colouring book group. 

Every Tuesday, 10 - 11.30am. Refreshments 50p.

Bring along your own colouring equipment.

Storytime
Mondays  2.15 - 2.45 pm, term time only, ages 2 - 5.   

South Hornchurch Library   

01708 434921

Book Review from South Hornchurch Library Quick Reads Reading Group

dead simple

Original stories from Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh and James Oswald among others.

"Our book this month was a collection of short stories, each written specially by well-known crime authors.

Each story was gripping and interesting, although very short. The first was set inside a prison; another concerned annoying visitors and even a ghost story. Our group enjoyed this book for the variety.

The authors found a way of packing a lot of drama into a little tale!"

Events at South Hornchurch Library 

Wiggle & Giggle
A lively session of action songs and rhymes. For ages 2 - 4.

Fridays, 11.30 - 12pm. Term time only.

Havering libraries Online

Havering libraries have lots of free online resources. They’re great for help with homework or if you’re just curious about something and want to learn more – all available from your home computer or internet device.  This month we focus on Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

oxford

Read more 

Room Hire in Havering libraries

Harold Hill library artists impression

Looking for a space to hire for a meeting, exercise class, tuition class or a child’s party?

Read more 

Harold Hill Library room hire
There are great new facilities at Harold Hill Library. £20 per hour includes smart screen, free Wi-Fi and kitchen facilities with a maximum capacity of 60. To book contact: Haroldhill.library@havering.gov.uk 

Read more

 

Havering Library Volunteers

Love your library volunteer logo

Havering Libraries need more volunteers to choose and deliver books to our local housebound customers.  This service now operates from South Hornchurch Library – plenty of parking and lovely staff to make this an enjoyable volunteering opportunity.

If you’re thinking of volunteering there are lots of different opportunities in the library service. Click on the link below for more information.

Havering libraries had really positive feedback from our volunteers: "rewarding, builds confidence & self-esteem, get back more than I give, good way to discover new authors!"

Read more