 There is always a warm welcome at Staffordshire Libraries
Did you know Staffordshire Libraries provide safe, warm, and welcoming spaces with access to lots of great services, such as FREE books and electronic resources. With a Staffordshire library card, you can download eBooks, eAudio books, eMagazines, eComics, and eNewspapers on the go!
At Staffordshire Libraries you have access to Wi-Fi and desktop computers and can use a range of subscriptions such as Ancestry, Driving Theory Test Pro and Go Citizen and much more, FREE across our 43 libraries.
Staffordshire library staff and volunteers can signpost you to information and services in your local area - getting you the help and support you may need. Many of our libraries can help with online applications for Bus Passes and Blue Badges, and our Business Start-Up Hubs can provide anyone looking to start a business with information to get them on the right path.
Looking for something to do? We have a huge range of activities and events from Baby Bounce and Rhyme time for little ones, Coffee and Chat sessions, Local History activities, Craft sessions plus lots more. So, what are you waiting for! Why not Discover Your Staffordshire Library Today! And Join Up. Join In. Discover. Explore. Create.
Libraries have lot of regular events and activities and special events run all year - find out what is going on near you here
Find out more about Your Staffordshire Library Service here: How to join your library - Staffordshire County Council
Or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube – search Staffordshire Libraries and follow us for updates.
 Ask for a Book comes to Staffordshire Libraries
Looking for a good read? Get a trusted recommendation and free books from your local library.
Visit www.askforabook.com to find out more.
 Young Teen Fiction Award 2023
Shortlisted Titles announced
Staffordshire Young Teen Fiction Award (YTF) is an annual countywide initiative where young people aged 11-14 who live, go to school in Staffordshire, or who use a Staffordshire Library are encouraged to read a range of fiction and nominate eligible titles for the shortlist and vote for the winner.
The six shortlisted titles for the Young Teen Fiction Award 2023 are:
Spark by M.G. Leonard
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge
When I see Blue by Lily Bailey
Fight Back by A.M. Dassu
Once Upon a Fever by Angharad Walker
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
Congratulations to these fine authors and thank you to everyone who nominated – there were over 9000 nominations for the shortlist this year!
11-14 year olds, if you have not read any of the shortlisted titles it is time to get reading! Borrow from your local library and decide who you think should win.
You can vote now, if you have already read them all, at the link: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/YTFshortlist
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #YTF2023 to keep up to date.
The winner will be announced at our celebration day hosted in partnership with our friends at RAF Museum, Midlands on 5th July.
 'What Everyone Needs to Know' comes to Staffordshire Libraries!
Want to stay up-to-date on important topics? We’ve got you covered with What Everyone Needs to Know® from Oxford University Press. Written by leading experts in their fields, this series offers balanced and authoritative primers on complex current event issues and countries. It includes popular topics and disciplines, including International Politics, Public Health, and Science, in a concise question-and-answer format which is ideal for researchers, lecturers, and students alike
Available online from 1st April from our Library Online Resources Page, free to all library members in your library and at home by entering your card number and PIN when prompted.
 Big Green Poetry Competition
Here is a very exciting opportunity for all budding writers. To celebrate this year’s Staffordshire Day on the 1st May, artists of all ages and abilities are invited to submit a poem for the Big Green Poetry Competition.
This year’s theme is sustainability, and we want to hear your thoughts on the beauty of Staffordshire’s environment and wildlife.
The winning poems will be published in a book for you to keep and available at local libraries.
The deadline for all submissions is Friday 14 April 2023. Poems can be handed in by either handing it in to your local library in the county, emailed to communications@staffordshire.gov.uk or posted to Communications Department, Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Place, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16.
Get creative and have fun!
Find out more
 Stephen Lawrence Day is observed every 22nd April, the anniversary of Stephen's murder.
Stephen Lawrence was born and grew up in south-east London, where he lived with his parents Neville and Doreen, his brother Stuart and sister Georgina.
Like most young people, he juggled an active social life, school work, family commitments, and part-time employment. But he also had ambitions to use his talent for maths, art, and design to become an architect, and wanted to have a positive impact on his community.
Tragically, his dream of becoming an architect was never realised. On 22 April 1993, at the age of just 18, Stephen was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. He didn’t know his killers and his killers didn’t know him.
After the initial police investigation, five suspects were arrested but not convicted. A public inquiry into the handling of Stephen’s case was held in 1998, leading to the publication of the Macpherson Report, which has been called ‘one of the most important moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain’.
It led to profound cultural changes in attitudes to racism, to the law and to police practice. It also paved the way for a greater understanding of discrimination of all forms and new equalities legislation.
The Stephen Lawrence Research Centre at De Montfort University and The Reading Agency have partnered to commemorate Stephen’s life and legacy, with the SL30 Reading Challenge designed to encourage a new generation to think about the world they live in as a place where everyone can thrive. The Challenge features free reading activities for children and young people that will celebrate the key themes of hope, love, care, and acceptance for all.
The Challenge is available to children aged 0-14 years from 1 April – 1 May 2023. Head to your local library to find out more.
Discover more about Stephen Lawrence Day and access learning resources for Primary and Secondary aged children at the Stephen Lawrence Day website.
There is also a Stephen Lawrence Day YouTube page with a selection of content.
 World Book Night - Celebrate Reading for Pleasure on 23rd April
Reading for pleasure is a globally recognised indicator in a huge range of social issues from poverty to mental health, yet in England alone, 36% of people don’t regularly read (DCMS, 2015).
World Book Night brings people from all backgrounds together for one reason – to inspire others to read more.
Above are the brilliant books being given away in care homes, youth centres, colleges, prisons, public libraries, mental health groups and other settings across the country on World Book Night 2023!
Some of these are available to borrow or reserve at your local library or on the Borrowbox App or the eLibrary
Find out more about World Book Night and how you can take part!
Enjoy these Borrowbox Campaign Titles for a limited time only with no Queue!
Choose from these great titles:
The Christie Affair by Nina Da Gramont
Vanished by Linda LaPlante
Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly
These titles are all available, until 16th Mary without the need to queue.
Just download the Borrowbox App from your app store for your device or visit our eLibrary
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Perton Library Science Fair a huge success
Over 1300 people visited Perton Library during the course of Saturday 18th March to take part in a variety of activities, engage with a brilliant range of exhibitors to celebrate British Science Week in style.
Workshops from Think Tank and Hyett Education were full and the library was buzzing with activity.
The Fire Brigade brought along a fire engine, which was a huge hit, while local wildlife and conservation groups provided information and activity for all the family. Lapworth Museum of Geology brought an amazing collection of fossils and Medical Mavericks were getting hands on with keyhole surgery, drawing blood samples and ECG monitoring and our own Archives and Heritage Team were wowing children with cyanotype photography crafts and a fabulous array of handling items.
The day was a fantastic community event that was co-created by the Library and community groups, some of whom had provided funding to support the event.
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Staffordshire County Council: Here to Help Campaign
Across Staffordshire many people are feeling the pressure from increasing cost of living.
If you’re struggling financially or concerned about the future, getting help early can make a big difference.
Lots of support is available from many different organisations, and it is often closer than people think.
On these pages you’ll find information, advice, and support to help you manage cost of living pressures.
Here to help - cost of living support - Staffordshire County Council
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Make sure you are Scam Aware!
Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards puts together a monthly Scams Email Newsletter highlighting emerging threats both nationally and within Staffordshire. By raising awareness of common scams, as well as highlighting support and assistance available, our aim is to help protect Staffordshire residents from ongoing scams and fraud.
You can sign up for the newsletter over at:
Staffordshire County Council (govdelivery.com)
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 Discover Your Library Online
We are committed to enabling our customers, new and existing, and everyone in Staffordshire to discover all that we have to offer. Looking for a group or activity? Need to renew or order a book? Want to check out Staffordshire Libraries social media pages! You can now find them all in one place here: linktr.ee/staffordshirelibraries
Give it a try, it’s easy and you might be surprised!
Start-Up Hubs available now in Staffordshire Libraries
Are you ready for an exciting opportunity to start working for yourself?
Being self-employed is one of the most exciting, liberating, challenging and rewarding things you can do. Exciting as it may be to start your own business, it can also feel overwhelming and confusing when it comes to actually getting started. Preparation is key to success.
Staffordshire Libraries and Arts Service have been working in partnership with Business Enterprise Support (BES), utilising Arts Council England funding, to establish Start-up Hubs in libraries across Staffordshire.
Hubs are now available across our network of libraries at more than 15 sites and more will launch in 2023.
This is an information awareness service available to support and inspire anybody who is interested in working for themselves to start their journey. Our libraries offer a dedicated space, allocated for start-up promotional materials, leaflets, business related reading books and information fact sheets.
So, what’s stopping you? Pop into your library, hook up to our free wifi, explore the hub and get started planning your next steps in working for yourself or starting your own business. We can signpost you to relevant information, provide local contacts and help get you online.
Find your nearest library.
You can also enjoy free access to the brilliant website COBRA: Complete Business Reference Advisor in all Staffordshire Libraries.
COBRA contains all the information you need to turn your idea into a business or if you are thinking of working for yourself. Log on and find more than 4,000 factsheets, sector guides, market reports, local area profiles, contacts and sources of funding and support plus hundreds of practical guides to starting up more than 350 types of business. Ideal for anyone looking to start a business, write a business or marketing plan or conduct research into a new market.
If you're using a Library PC you can access COBRA for free. If you wish to access COBRA from home you will need to log in with your Library Card Number at the same link.
Find out more about business in Staffordshire, including support for small businesses, start-up loans, apprenticeships, economic recovery and renewal and much more at the County Council Business webpages.
Do you need some help getting online or updating your IT skills? Why not check out the Staffordshire Community Learning website for a wide range of exciting and stimulating short courses for adults aged 19 and above across Staffordshire.
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