It has been terrific to welcome so many of you back to our libraries as our phased re-opening began in July.

We are re-introducing browsing in our County Council managed libraries from Tuesday 1^st September.

We are also introducing ‘Grab and Go’ so you can pick up a pre-selected ‘lucky dip’ bag of books from your library. You are still able to ‘Order and Collect’ titles as well.

There are some simple steps to follow to make your visit pleasant and safe for you. Please check out the infographics above and below for more information or watch our handy video to explain what to expect when you visit the library.

.For information about our phased re-opening, browsing, ‘Order and Collect’, ‘Grab and Go’ or any other Library services please visit our dedicated Coronavirus Update

We have also compiled some frequently asked questions 

We will continue to keep you all informed via our Facebook and Twitter pages, at our website and through other communication channels.

Our online library for free eBooks, eAudio, eMagazines and newspapers is available for you to use, as are a selection of free to access online resources.

• Visit our eLibrary

• Visit our free online resources

If you’re not already a member, or know somebody who could benefit from these services, follow this link to join. It's easy and it's free.

To view what is on your library account, please login to our library catalogue with your card number and PIN.

Please do keep in touch by following us on Facebook and/or Twitter @StaffsLibraries where we are posting information, advice and sharing what else is going on in the world of libraries!

Coronavirus has had a significant impact on the people of Staffordshire and has affected everyone, from health and wellbeing, education, jobs and the wider economy.

You can now have your say in what you think the future priorities should be in Staffordshire for COVID-19 as life begins to go back to normal, in the Staffordshire COVID-19 residents survey.

It will only take ten minutes to complete and your valuable input will help to prioritise the next part of recovery.

The closing date for all completed responses is midnight Sunday 13^th September 2020.

Take the survey here.

September sees the start of Staffordshire Library and Arts’ and Archive and Heritage’s annual Staffordshire History Festival – a two-month celebration of our local history and cultural heritage in Staffordshire and beyond. This year because of Covid-19 the festival will be taking place online!

A virtual programme of informative posts, quizzes, interesting videos, live online events, crafts and activities for children and families will be posted across the two months of the festival, many produced by our staff, volunteers and local organisations.

We will have four focused History Days on Thursdays in September and October so be sure to visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

• The Battle of Britain, for the 80^th anniversary - Thursday 17^th September
• The Staffordshire Hoard - Thursday 1^st October
• The Home Front and the 1940s house in the Second World War - Thursday 15^th October
• Staffordshire History, Heritage and Legends - Thursday 29^th October

There will also be regular posts to highlight famous people from Staffordshire and little known facts about Staffordshire’s history.

We will be sharing history eBook, eAudio and eMagazine recommendations for titles that can be borrowed from the eLibrary – look out for recommended reading on The Battle of Britain and the Blitz, Black History Month, historical novels, history for children and much more! Visit our eLibrary to find out what we have to offer: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/eLibrary

The Ancestry Library Edition website will remain available for Library members to access at home during September and the fantastic online newspaper resource NewsBank, with some newspapers dating back to the 1980s, also remains accessible to members from home.

Library members also have free access on library computers to Ancestry Library Edition, Find My Past and NewsBank. 

Make sure you are following us on Facebook and Twitter and just type in the hashtag #StaffsHistFest to find all the content!

Have you entered our Summer Reads Competition yet?!

There is just a week to go to submit your entries and you’ll be entered in the prize draw, where you could win book vouchers or one of two hampers, donated by Waitrose. The closing date for entries is 8pm on Sunday 6th September, and the winners will be notified shortly afterwards.

Simply submit 4 short book reviews. It’s up to you which books you choose to read; fiction, non-fiction, classic or graphic novel! You can read or listen to an eAudio, everything counts!

We’ll share the best reviews of up to 100 words in length on our library Facebook page so you can see what people are reading in Staffordshire.

So, wherever you are in Staffordshire, let’s celebrate the power of a good read this Summer! 

Complete the online form to enter

Visit our eLibrary for a huge range of eBooks, eAudio and eComics: 

Over 1100 Staffordshire children sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge

Over 1100 children from across the county have so far signed up for the virtual Summer Reading Challenge.

This theme for 2020 is Silly Squad, a celebration of funny books, happiness and laughter, featuring bespoke artwork from award-winning children's author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson.

The annual campaign, run by the Reading Agency and supported by Staffordshire Libraries has encouraged children aged four to eleven to continue reading during the summer holidays. We’ve had a massive response to our #SillyStaffordshire days on social media, with the videos produced by our staff and volunteers being a particular hit!

Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council said: “This is a brilliant scheme that we look forward to every year that helps keep children reading over the summer holidays. We know that it’s been a bit more tricky this year because of Coronavirus but I’m really pleased to see so many children taking up the challenge... and with most libraries now back up and running there’s still time to sign up and take part.”

Children can still sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge at https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/ and find family fun activities on the libraries Facebook page or by searching for #SillyStaffordshire

The virtual challenge ends on 30th September.

Exploring Staffordshire History Festival with #CreativeExplorers!

During September and October, Staffordshire Libraries ‘Creative Explorers’ programme will be delving into themes of this year’s Staffordshire History Festival. Arts activities led by professional artists Juneau Projects will offer children and young people the opportunity to get creative inspired by Staffordshire’s past, places & legends, the Staffordshire Hoard, Life on the Home Front in WWII and themes celebrating Black History Month and Remembrance.

Library visitors, families, teachers and guardians can access weekly activities aimed at children age 5-12, by visiting our activities resource: https://staffslibrariesculture.wordpress.com

Here you can sign up by email to be notified of each new activity or browse the existing activities, view online or download to use at home or in your own setting.

Staffordshire History Festival activities will be posted every Saturday at 10am from 12 September – 31^st October.

There will be a chance to meet the artists and take part in a free half term workshop online on Thursday 29^th October, details to be announced soon.

Find out more by following us on Facebook or sign up to our activities blog!

Follow us on Facebook to find out more, or sign up at https://staffslibrariesculture.wordpress.com  

#StaffordshireCreativeExplorers #StaffsHistFest2020

Exciting news book-lovers!

Between September 2020 and February 2021, Staffordshire Libraries will be hosting ‘A Season of Reading’ – a monthly online ‘live’ author event via our Staffordshire Libraries’ Book Chat Group on Facebook.

Thanks to support from West Midlands Reader’s Network, these events will be free to take part in and will feature some of the best writing talent that the region has to offer, starting with the fantastic Lisa Blower on Wednesday 2^nd September at 7.30pm.

An award-winning short story writer and novelist, and a senior lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton, Lisa’s latest novel ‘Pondweed’ is out now in hardback with publisher Myriad Editions, and already receiving rave reviews.

Her debut short story collection ‘It’s Gone Dark over Bill’s Mother’s’ has just been longlisted for The Edge Hill Prize 2020, and features ‘Broken Crockery‘ (winner of The Guardian’s National Short Story competition, 2009), ‘Barmouth‘ (shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award, 2013), ‘Dirty Laundry’, ‘Hoops’, (Highly Commended and long-listed for the Bridport Prize), and ‘Abdul’ (long-listed for The Sunday Times Short Story Award, 2018).

Lisa will be chatting to us about her work and her inspiration and answering questions

If you would like to take part in this fantastic free event please go to Staffordshire Libraries Facebook page and ask to join our free Book Chat Group. If you would like to ask Lisa a question, please email it to liz.gardner@staffordshire.gov.uk by 1^st September 2020.

Free computer guides from Digital Unite

Staffordshire Libraries have partnered with Digital Unite to offer an extensive collection of over 400 learning guides about using modern technology created by Digital Unite, the digital learning experts. The easy-to-use guides are ideal for improving your own confidence and skills or for supporting other learners and can now be found on our website: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/DigitalUniteGuides There’s everything from computer basics to smartphones, using the internet and broadband TV and they can all be saved and printed as well! Give them a try!

One user said: 'I thought I was too late to join the world of computers, but even though I was starting at the very beginning, I got to grips with it much more quickly than I expected.'

eBooks galore!

We’ve added more fantastic Borrowbox titles to our collection, some available to borrow for a limited time without any waiting or queuing!

Look out for many more new titles in September!

Please visit Borrowbox, either via the App on your smart phone or tablet, or at our eLibrary at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/eLibrary and start reading!

Lockdown Memories

We need your help, please fill out the form and share this information about 'Lockdown Memories' a project working to create a lasting record of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown measures and how it has affected the lives of Staffordshire people. #StaffsHistFest

www.staffordshire.gov.uk/lockdownmemories

Staffordshire Library members can still access Ancestry Library Edition at home, thanks to Proquest and Ancestry UK, until the end of September!

To access the site you need to log in to your Library account here: https://www.yourlibcat.staffordshire.gov.uk/web/arena/user-pages

You then need to make sure you are in the ‘Account’ section and scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the link where it says ‘Access Ancestry Online’.

We hope you will enjoy this temporary access to the site. 

You will need your Library card number and PIN.

Have you visited the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography yet? It's FREE to access from home with your Library card number. 

ODNB contains over 60,000 biographies, 72 million words, 11,000 portraits of significant, influential or notorious figures who shaped British history.

Each day we share a famous person from British history on our Facebook and Twitter page, look out for them, follow the link and learn more!

Here is Offa, 8th Century King of the Mercians. Find out more at ODNB - Follow the link from our Online Resources page