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To All West Berkshire Libraries Customers
Here is the September news from West Berkshire Libraries, including details about the services we are currently able to provide in line with government guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19.
 “Looking back at the last year it was clearly very challenging for everyone… However, the libraries service stepped up to the challenge…” (Councillor Howard Woollaston)
We were certainly busy! Thank you to everyone who took the time to let us know how much you valued your library service during the pandemic. Take a look at what we did over this extraordinary year and what we are planning for 2021/22 in our Annual Report, which is available now to read online or in our libraries.
 The first floor of Newbury Library will be closed from 6 September and the entire building will be closed from 16 September until 3 October while we make some significant improvements to it.
Amongst other things, this includes replacement of the entire lighting system which, after 21 years, is no longer fit for purpose. The lighting throughout the building will be improved, using energy efficient LEDs and providing significant savings in CO emissions and energy costs. There will also be autism friendly lighting in the Children’s Library and Carnegie Lounge, with thanks in part to funding from West Berkshire Council’s Autism Partnership Board.
Throughout the closed period library members will still be able to return books and collect reserved items at the door from Newbury Library, as well as continuing to use our e-library and to visit other branches across the district as usual. But if you can’t get to us during this time please don’t worry – no books borrowed from Newbury Library will be due for return here during the closure.
We look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 4 October!
 The summer holidays are coming to an end but there’s still time to complete your 2021 Summer Reading Challenge.
Our Wild World Heroes, Mini Challenge and Grown-ups2! challenges all finish on 15 September. Make sure to let us know when you have read your final books so that you don’t miss out on any remaining stickers and medals!
All adults who have completed the Grown-ups2! challenge will automatically be entered into our prize draw to win a wi-fi tablet. We will notify the winner as soon as we can after the end date.
  Also don’t forget to sign up for our Online Code Club, which starts again soon. Children can learn to code with Scratch in a FREE 12 week course. The first project will be emailed to you on 13 September.
For more information and to sign up your child, please email library@westberks.gov.uk.
 Some of our libraries run book groups, which you are welcome to join. Please ask in your local library to find out what’s available near you.
We also support lots of private groups who borrow from us. We supply sets of 10 copies of your chosen title and we have over a hundred sets to choose from. Our annual subscription is reduced for anyone setting up a new group at this point in the year. Please email library@westberks.gov.uk for details.
 If you are part of a book group already – or even if you are not yet – you might like to join the celebrations for National Reading Group Day on Tuesday 14 September. Run by The Reading Agency, this includes a Facebook discussion about The foundling by Stacey Hall, which everyone is welcome to join.
Our own online book group, West Berks Reads, has been reading another title by Stacey Hall: The familiars. We have electronic and printed copies of both of these books. Borrow from us for free and let us know what you think of them.
We hope to resume some of our group activities in libraries later this month. Follow @WBerksLibraries on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with news about these and everything else that’s happening in libraries.
 You’ll also find online events, such as weekly craft activities, on our social media and you can search for West Berkshire Libraries on YouTube to find our latest storytimes, rhymetimes, talks and more.
West Berkshire Council is supporting Great Big Green Week, 18-26 September, which aims to be “the biggest event for climate and nature ever in the UK”.
In connection with this, we will have some ‘green crafts’ for you to try on our social media over both weekends and we will be highlighting some of our wonderful books related to this on Instagram, 20-24 September.
Whilst we are thinking about action for the environment, you may not be aware that West Berkshire libraries provide various bins for recycled materials, including used batteries, spectacles, sweet wrappers, small toys and old bras.
Please check in your local library to see what we can collect. Thank you.
You can find details of all West Berkshire Libraries opening hours, including our Mobile Library timetable, on our website: www.westberks.gov.uk/libraries.
Keep up to date with all our news as it happens by following @WBerksLibraries on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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