Welcome
February brings our usual wide variety of events, from family friendly authors at Leeds Lit Fest, to life drawing, to a celebration of anime and manga.
We offer support for people starting or looking to grow a business, we provide volunteering opportunities and we're proud to be working with Read Easy Leeds to help adults learn to read. Read on and find out more!
If you're not already, make sure you're following us on social media to get the latest news and see what we're up to. You can also check out our What's On in Leeds Libraries page on Leeds Inspired for more details.
Saturday 9 March from 10am at Leeds Central Library
Unleash your curiosity at our full day of dazzling events for children and families! Throughout the festival you'll get the chance to meet a variety of vibrant authors, illustrators and storytellers from across the UK and enjoy their interactive sessions in the impressive Central Library. There will also be drop-in craft and Lego activities on offer for the whole day.
Saturday 10 February from 10am at Leeds Central Library
A one day convention dedicated to Japanese Anime and Manga. After previous sell out years we are returning this February with a variety of workshops, performances, events, and stalls selling a range of items.
Dressing up is encouraged - feel free to come as your favourite character. Book your ticket in advance, this one is likely to sell out!
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We’ve been working in partnership with Read Easy Leeds, a charity offering 1-2-1 free literacy support for adults. In November, Read Easy held a second Graduation Day at Leeds Central Library, where 15 readers achieved certificates.
Read the full story.
Read Easy book collections are also suitable for ESOL learners. There are collections at Armley, Compton Road, Dewsbury Road and Central, and you can find the books on our catalogue here.
The charity is also recruiting volunteer coaches, so please spread the word or learn more on their website.
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We love our volunteers and the enthusiasm they bring as Digital Champions mentoring Code clubs, Heritage volunteers researching, indexing and transcribing historical texts, and our Reading Friends connecting people with reading in their homes and communities.
In their own words here's how much our library volunteers have enjoyed working with the service and our customers:
"Enjoying visiting the ladies I support through the Reading Friends Scheme"
Reading Friends volunteer
"I'm enjoying it. It is helpful that it's completely flexible when I come in and that I only do the odd hour or two, but it still feels useful. Thanks for the opportunity."
Heritage volunteer
"I like to help children about scratching and coding"
Digital volunteer
If you're interested in volunteering for Leeds Libraries, you'll find more info here.
Carol by Patricia Highsmith
Famously the first Lesbian Romance novel not to end in tragedy and death, Carol Aird first meets Therese Belivet at a department store, seeking a Christmas present for her daughter. After Therese returns Carol’s lost gloves the meet-cute continues and both of their worlds will never be the same. Now a major motion picture starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
For more on Patricia Highsmith and the creation of Carol, check out our Secret Library Blog! Surviving Censorship: Patricia Highsmith – The Secret Library | Leeds Libraries Heritage Blog (secretlibraryleeds.net)
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Before We Were Trans by Kit Heyam
The stories we know of trans lives tend to be recent, binary, stereotyped, medicalised and white. Before We Were Trans is a new and different story of gender, that seeks not to be comprehensive or definitive, but - by blending culture, feminism and politics - to widen the scope of what we think of as trans history by telling the stories of people across the globe whose experience of gender has been transgressive, or not characterised by stability or binary categories.
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Black Car Burning by Helen Mort
Mort is a Sheffield-born poet of some renown, whose debut novel contains much of her descriptive metaphor and love of language. It’s also incredibly ambitious and personal. Set in during the second inquest into the deaths at the Hillsborough disaster, Alexa is a community support officer, struggling with the loss of trust between the people and the police. Mistrust between Sheffield residents of different backgrounds and ethnicities. And the straining bonds between Alexa, her partner Caron the climber and their polyamorous relationship. Can time truly heal all wounds?
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My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame
The famed Japanese Writer/Artist’s critically acclaimed manga, about the unlikely meeting between single-father Yaichi, and his estranged twin brother’s widower, Mike. The series covers differences between Canadian and Japanese approaches to LGBTQ+ existence and bigotry, Yaichi re-navigating how fairly he thought he treated his brother, and how to broach any of this with his young daughter Kana – who's just naively excited to meet her uncle.
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Leeds Zine Library Lates!
Last Wednesday of the month, from 28 February
5:30-7:30pm, Art Library, Leeds Central Library
This month we have a special edition with an LGBT+ Leeds display of items from our special collections, lots of craft activities and a DJ!
Make a collaborative LGBT+ history month zine, create a patch, make badges or join the stitched banner making workshop.
A quiet space will also be available on the evening. Suitable for over 16s, free event.
Our Zine Library is a space for open access to zines that reflect the huge diversity of Leeds and covers a magnitude of topics. We'd love your zine donations too!
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Mondays 4, 11, 18, 25 March: 5.30-7.30pm, Leeds Central Library
Venture into life drawing in this relaxed, supportive four week course taught by artist and tutor Paul Digby. You'll explore figure drawing including line, gesture and shade to develop your own artistic style.
Suitable for over 18s, all materials and refreshments included.
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Wednesday 28 February, 7.00pm, Chapel Allerton Library
Professor Susan Watkins will examine how science fiction and fantasy deal with ageing and time. Fantasy often looks nostalgically back to the past whereas science fiction considers ageing and the future. Join us for this fascinating talk, with a particular focus on what it means to be an older woman in fantasy and science fiction.
Free event, booking required. Part of the Fantasy: Realms of Imagination programme of events.
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Read with Dad at Hunslet Library & Community Hub
Every other Saturday, 2.00-3.00pm from 10 February until 20 April
Read with Dad is an informal, friendly read-and-play session aimed at kids aged 0-7 years.
Meet other dads and male carers in your community, discover some fantastic new books with your children, and make storytime a special time. There's also the chance to do a simple craft activity, to play in the Library, and to ask for book recommendations for your family.
Free refreshments are provided. No booking required - just drop in!
Thanks to the brilliant Leeds Dads for their support with this project. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter, and join them at their next meetup.
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Business Support
Get your business off to the best start!
Aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses will shortly be able to access our Start-up and Grow programme of business support at St George’s Centre Community Hub and Library.
Join a two-day workshop and networking huddles covering everything you need to know to give your business the best start. Bookings now available on our Eventbrite page, or contact the team to find out more: bipcleeds@leeds.gov.uk
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Libraries Connected survey
Can you help us improve our service for a chance to win a prize draw?
Libraries Connected are running a national survey about your book buying and borrowing habits, to ensure library services meet your needs.
Take a few minutes to fill in the short survey to win one of six prizes, including £100 shopping vouchers and £50 book tokens.
Please follow this link to get started: https://shout.com/s/KUVnezpT
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Are you Foster4Leeds's next carer?
Leeds City Council’s Foster4Leeds service is 100% not for profit. Our priority is to ensure vulnerable children in Leeds can stay in Leeds, close to their school, friends, and birth family wherever possible.
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation and welcome individuals and families from all backgrounds. We have a fantastic community of over 700 Foster4Leeds carers, but we desperately need more people to provide a loving home for children and young people in Leeds.
Hear from some of our wonderful carers about the process and what the journey has been like for them: www.foster4leeds.co.uk/carers
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Find out more
Did you know we have 3 further library newsletters, where you can find out more about family friendly activities, local history and books and reading? Sign up here:
Thank you for reading our latest newsletter. We look forward to welcoming you soon - get in touch or find your local library
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