We're calling June #KindnessMonth as we're linking in with the  #MonthOfCommunity and so many campaigns that bring us together, inspire empathy and understanding and encourage community cohesion at a local, regional, national and even international level. Look out for the #MonthOfCommunity hashtag throughout June and discover lots of ways we can all strengthen connections with others.

Elmer Day Feedback

Arthur, who visits Penkridge Community Library, was very excited about #ElmerDay

His mum told the volunteer team at the library that:

“Arthur is always so excited to come to the library and loves reading his books throughout the day and every night before bed! … Thankyou for always making such a lovely effort with him, it always adds to our experience and makes us look forward to coming back!”

World Environment Day

Held every year on June 5, World Environment Day is the most important date on the calendar for celebrating our environment and ramping up global efforts to protect the planet.

This year, World Environment Day is dedicated to the protection and revival of precious ecosystems all over the world. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is launching on World Environment Day and this is the perfect moment to join #GenerationRestoration and power change for the better!

Find out more about how you can get involved and download the UN Ecosystem Restoration Handbook here

We will be sharing interesting information across our Facebook and Twitter pages as part of World Environment Day, some from the United Nations Environment Programme, but others from much closer to home, like a library staff litter pick and work taking place in our communities to protect the environment.

You will also be able to borrow from a range of books, for adults and children, available from your local library or the eLibrary

The Big Lunch 5-6 June 

To celebrate #TheBigLunch, our amazing Reading Friends staff and volunteers came together to hold an online discussion about our favourite reads, inspirational reads and books that have made an impact on our lives. The Big Lunch concept, organised by the Eden Project, is an opportunity to celebrate community connections and we think our Reading Friends project is a perfect fit for this. I think you will agree that our reading choices were vary varied and this made for an interesting discussion. It clearly demonstrates that there is a book out there for everyone! What will you be reading today?

Find out more about The Big Lunch

'We are Staffordshire' Placemaking Launch

In 2020, Staffordshire business, education and public sector organisations came together to develop a new story and approach to promoting and marketing the county. This involved understanding what makes Staffordshire special, competitive and distinct from other places – and bringing it all together in a new story that every organisation and individual across the area can tell and be part of. 

A central aim of the Staffordshire placemaking work is supporting businesses located across the county, through promotion of business success stories at events, in the media and across digital channels; bring a variety of businesses together to foster collaboration and opportunities to work together, and help businesses shout about Staffordshire across the UK and internationally.

Following the successful launch of the Staffordshire Story and new placemaking identity in November last year, We Are Staffordshire has recently launched a brand new website, dedicated to promoting Staffordshire, sharing good news and updates from across the county – visit us at www.wearestaffordshire.co.uk.

Please do reach out to them via the website with any suggestions or questions on how you can get involved with the Staffordshire placemaking work, or becoming an Ambassador for the county, and follow their social media channels: @wearestaffs on Twitter, and @wearestaffordshire on Instagram and remember to tag them in any posts, using #wearestaffordshire

Hi Vis Fortnight – Celebrating the Word in All its Formats

The provision and availability of alternative formats is critical to visually and print impaired people being able to access reading and literature, and the general theme of this year’s fortnight will be celebrating the word in all its forms and formats.

At Staffordshire Libraries our books come in all shapes and sizes.  We know that not everybody can read standard print, so we try to make it easy for everyone to access books through eBooks and eAudio.

All you need is a Library Card and PIN and then you can choose from hundreds of eAudio titles from our providers uLibrary, Libby and Borrowbox, just go to their Apps or our e-library where you’ll find lots of help.

Borrowbox also provide our eBook service where we have an extensive range of titles and more are added on a regular basis.  There is an option to reserve popular titles if they are out on loan and we always have a selection that are available with no queue.  The easiest way to access these is via the Borrowbox app which has some really useful key features to enhance the reading experience.  The size, type of font and the margins can be adjusted.  There is also the option to choose a specific dyslexic font and change the background colour of the page.  All the adjusted settings are saved ready for the next time you read.

If you visit your local library we also have a range of large print titles and audiobooks that are available to borrow.

Carers Week 7-13 June

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

This year, carers across the country are continuing to face new challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities for their relatives and friends who are disabled, ill or older and who need support.

They need to be recognised for the difficulties they are experiencing, respected for all they are doing, and provided with information, support and understanding. So, the Carers Week theme this year is to Make Caring Visible and Valued.

There are 6.5 million people in the UK who are carers. They are looking after a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness or who needs extra help as they grow older. Caring's impact on all aspects of life from relationships and health to finances and work can be significant, and carers are facing even more difficult circumstances this year. Whilst many feel that caring is one of the most important things they do, its challenges should not be underestimated. Caring without the right information and support can be tough.  It is vitally important that we recognise the contribution carers make to their families and local communities, workplaces and society, and that they get the support they need.

Find out more about Carers Week and how you or your organisation can get involved here

Loneliness Awareness Week 14-18 June

It’s ok to feel lonely, particularly at a time like this. Don’t suffer in silence, we can all help each other stay connected.

As lockdown lifts, many people will still feel lonely and isolated. So it will be more important than ever to take action if you or someone you know is feeling lonely.

There are some great organisations out there with tips and ideas to help:

Let's Beat Loneliness Together (Staffordshire County Council)

Telephone Reading Friends (Staffordshire Libraries)

Marmalade Trust

Lets Talk Loneliness

Campaign to End Loneliness

Logomotive

Love railways? Here’s a Father’s Day gift for you! Visit our Facebook page at 3:00pm on Sunday 20^th June as we premiere our exclusive #BookChat with Ian Logan and Jonathan Glancey, as they take us through design history with Logomotive: Railroad Graphics and the American Dream,  a visual tribute to the heyday of railroad graphics and design in mid-century America, when cars had fins and locomotives were designed to look like planes!

Refugee Week 14-20 June

Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees. Founded in 1998 and held every year around World Refugee Day on the 20 June, Refugee Week is also a growing global movement.

Through a programme of arts, cultural and educational events alongside media and creative campaigns, Refugee Week brings about positive encounters between communities, helping them to connect and learn from each other, and promoting a culture of welcome.

This year’s Refugee Week theme is ‘We Cannot Walk Alone’

Find out more here and use the hashtag #RefugeeWeek2021 on social media.

We will be sharing information and a series of short videos that highlight the plight of refugees during the week and you can also find reading in the library catalogue and on the Borrowbox App.

Time for a Bit of Fun

Here is our latest jigsaw for you try you hand at? 

We've also got a new quiz - The Last Line in Films.

Good Luck!

IT Help is here

Are you struggling with IT at home, unable to get your e-mail setup, want to try online shopping or has social media got you all confused?

Maybe our new telephone support service can help.

Complete an online form here  or contact our call centre on 0300 111 8000 or your local library to register for a call back.

A friendly member of our Library team or a Community Learning tutor will give you a call and talk through your problem and help you work through it. If we can’t find an immediate solution we’ll make sure we direct you to someone who can, to a suitable course or other kinds of help.

It’s a totally free service so give us a try, we’re happy to help.

The Lichfield Festival will be back this summer, running from July 8 – 18

Literature events feature prominently with visits from Amanda Owen “The Yorkshire Shepherdess” (Thursday July 15^th/Friday July 16^th) and Festival favourite, Tracy Borman, who will be speaking about her new novel, The Fallen Angel, the final instalment in her The King’s Witch trilogy (Saturday July 17^th).  Writer and academic Dr Joan Ormrod will also appear at the Festival for the first time on the final Sunday (18^th), speaking about “Myth, Fantasy & Modern Culture”.  Her talk covers fantasy, prehistoric folk lore and fairy tales, as she explores how ancient myth (and its various creatures) have had a huge impact on the tales told throughout our literary and creative history, from Shakespeare to W.B. Yeats, Arthur Machen to Neil Gaiman, and Wonder Woman to Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. 

For history lovers, the Festival also features dramatic monologues about Elizabeth I (I, Elizabeth on Friday July 9^th) and Clementine Churchill (Mrs Churchill on Friday July 16^th).  The venue for all of the above is The Hub at St Mary’s (directly above the Library), barring Amanda Owen, who will appear in the Cathedral.  For ticket information and further details, please visit www.lichfieldfestival.org/events/ or call the Box Office on 01543 306271.

The Festival also has some further dates for your diary: the rescheduled 2020/21 Literature Festival will now take place between September 9^th - 12^th 2021.  For further details of both rescheduled and new author events, please visit www.lichfieldliteraturefestival.org

The Night Sky in June

Here's the June guide to the night sky for those budding amateur astronomers and stargazers amongst you. You can find a range of astronomy books in your library to expand you knowledge of the universe! 

Night Sky Guide June 2021

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.

This month we have focus on Sir Hans Krebs, a Nobel prize winning biochemist who was forced to flee Nazi Germany because he was Jewish. He became a British citizen in 1939 and had an illustrious career.

Start searching by following the ODNB link on our Online Resources page.