|
 Welcome to Your Library News
Welcome to this month's Library newsletter. This August we are bringing you a curated collection of exciting updates, upcoming events, book recommendations, community spotlights, and much more. Whether you're an avid reader, a passionate learner, or simply love the welcoming atmosphere of our libraries, this newsletter is tailored just for you.
Stay connected, inspired, and discover new opportunities to feed your love for books and knowledge. Get ready to embark on a literary journey as we share the latest news and treasures from our libraries right to your inbox.
 Our Freedom Then & Now Workshops for Teens!
We are delighted to have been selected to participate in a nationally recognised project, Our Freedom: Then and Now. This new UK-wide, locally-led arts and creative programme will produce 60 new pieces of work reflecting on what ‘Our Freedom’ means to local people and their communities. Why not join one of these amazing creative workshops for young adults this summer.
Thanks to our project partners Cumbria Archives, Future Arts Centres and Lakes International Comic Festival. These sessions are possible thanks to a grant award. Delivered in partnership with Libraries Connected and Open Eye Gallery, supported using public funding by UK Government through Arts Council England.
Comic Creators Workshop - Book Now
We are delighted to welcome acclaimed illustrator, writer and comic-book artist Lyndon White to Barrow Library this summer for Comic Creator workshops. Come and explore techniques behind the art of graphic novels and comics and create imagined worlds and amazing journeys through drawing and stories. These workshops are perfect for young people who are curious about graphic novels as well as the avid fan. No experience is necessary and all materials are provided. You will be guided through drawing techniques, developing stories and ideas by a professional artist in a range of styles and genres. Lyndon will share some great advice for creators starting out in the comic world. The comics and illustrations produced will be part of a library exhibition in November.
Lyndon White is an illustrator, writer and comic-book artist. His works have been published by Image, Top Cow and Blue Fox Comics. His graphic novels Sparks and the Fallen Star and Candles are fantasy favourites. Combining magic with monsters, he’s working on the third instalment of the Lovecraftian series Reanimator Incorporated with Andy Perry.
Barrow Library - Tue 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th Aug, 1-4pm
Age: 12+
Drinks and snacks will be provided.
Book you free place here
|
Blackout Poetry Workshop - Book Now
Join Barrovian writer and performance poet Caleb Staps for a captivating and fun Blackout Poetry Workshop inviting you to write in new ways. With permanent markers in hand, you’ll be delving into Barrow's past turning old newspapers, magazines, and other print materials into artful short form poetry. Discover amazing old stories from our town and create your own to leave behind. This workshop will be in a fun, supported and relaxed environment. So come and play with words! Your Blackout poems will be displayed as part of a library exhibition in November 2025.
Caleb Staps is a Barrovian writer, performance poet, and workshop facilitator. His work explores themes of youth, modern life, and growing up in a small town where not much seems to happen. From Manchester to Leeds to his hometown of Barrow, he’s performed at poetry nights, featured in various zines, and been heard across the North West on BBC Radio Cumbria & BBC Upload.
Barrow Library - Thur 31st July 1-2:30pm
Age: 14+
Book you free place here
|
 The Summer Reading Challenge Events!
Signed up to the challenge? Reading away? Want even more adventures? Amazing. Did you know as well as all our fabulous drop in activities we are also welcoming amazing professional artists and creatives to our libraries this summer. There really is something for everyone.
Magical World of Mushroom Marvellous
Join us at the library for our fabulous storyart workshop with author and illustrator Kylie Dixon. Find out all about Kylie's mushie book characters and unlock your imagination. We'll have stories too and a chance to draw your own characters.
Find out more and book your free place here.
|
Litcraft @ The Library
Join us for Litcraft with Professor Sally Bushell from Lancaster University. Litcraft uses the popular ‘Minecraft’ gaming platform to create accurate scale models of fictional islands from classic books. Litcraft combines reading with immersive play and challenges within the digital Minecraft World. This time we are diving into The Boy Who Climbed Into the Moon by David Almond. Age 7+
Find out more and book your free place here.
|
Rucksack of Rhymes : Tiny Trekkers
Gear up with Wordsworth Grasmere for Rucksack of Rhymes an outdoor adventure full of rhymes and fun as we imagine stomping through sunny meadows and splashing in puddles, journeying from Dove Cottage, the home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth. Rain or shine, there’s joy to find in every rhyme. Grab your wellies and imagination—adventure awaits in our rucksack!
For children aged 0-5, their parents/carers and siblings
Find out more and book your free place here.
|
A Wordsworthian Summer
Join Wordsworth Grasmere for A Wordsworthian Summer, a creative and crafty session using William and Dorothy Wordsworth’s summertime adventures as inspiration. We will learn about the ways that the Wordsworths made their own fun in summertime over 200 years ago, listen to some of William’s poetry and get creative.
For children aged 5+ and their parents/carers
Find out more and book your free place here.
|
Lake District Music Summer Festival - Concerteenies
Join Lake District Music Summer Festival for Concerteenies. Penguin Blue and his friends are in for a surprise! It all starts with a windy day and a brand new kite... Come fly away with Penguin Blue as he gets caught in a gust of wind and the adventure begins.
Concerteenies is an award-winning producer of musical activities for children (and their adults) combining stunning performances from professional musicians in a relaxed environment. Join us 30 mins before the show to make your very own 'Blown away' kite. Ideal for children 3+ (and their grown-ups!).
Duration: 45 mins (approx.) | Tickets: £4 adults, £2 children
Find out more and book your place here
|
|
|
 Walney Library Temporary Closure for Refurbishment
Walney Library is getting a fresh new look thanks to investment in refurbishment works. Westmorland and Furness Council is undertaking a programme of improvements at the library building, including works to the roof, new lighting and electrics, redecoration, new flooring and a new reception desk.
This will mean the library will need to close during the works for an estimated six weeks, starting on 20 August.
A container to safely and securely store items from the library will be placed in the adjoining car park during the work. Your nearest alternative library while Walney Library is closed can be found at Barrow Library, Ramsden Square (Bus route number 2) where staff will be happy to help you. Phone 01229 407370.
You can also find us online: https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives
Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to investing in library services. We apologise for any inconvenience the temporary closure may cause to our customers but we hope you will love the new-look library!
We'll share an update on our expected reopening date as soon as possible via social media and local notices.
 Celebrating Refugee Week @ The Library
Westmorland and Furness libraries are nationally recognised as Libraries of Sanctuary. The award acknowledges our commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive, and safe spaces for all, including people seeking sanctuary.
Refugee Week is the world's largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of people seeking sanctuary. The vision of Refugee Week is for refugees and asylum seekers to live safely within inclusive, resilient communities where they can continue to make a valuable contribution.
We celebrated with community group activities, including Games Group, craft sessions, story time, chess club and friendship groups. We held an English café, an English conversation group, and a refugee ESOL event celebration at Kendal library. Our colleagues at Adult Learning offered a variety of classes, including ESOL classes, and our libraries displayed their range of different telling Refugee stories as well as books in other languages.
|
|
 The Summer Reading Challenge is Go!
We are SUMMER READING CHALLENGE ready! Our amazing outreach team have been out and about in our communities, linking with target schools and letting everyone know about Story Garden. We received this lovely feedback,
"We are hugely grateful to the amazing staff at Kendal library for getting Mrs Mason and Mrs Dalton’s class started on this fantastic challenge. Today we read our first book, got our sticker chart and first sticker and a super cool bookmark. We listened to stories, made bookmarks and of course chose our favourite books to take home. Remember our Stramongate top tip for reading is simply to read, read and READ!" Stramongate school, Kendal,
"A huge thank you to Claire from Penrith Library who came in to share with us today. The Summer Reading Challenge goes live on Saturday 5th July and you only have to read 6 books! There is a chance for you to enter our school into a draw for some brand new books as well as the opportunity to win some amazing prizes. A fantastic opportunity for the children to have some incentive to read over the holidays!" Morland Area C of E Primary School, Penrith
After Lorraine's visit to one of our local Barrow schools they shared this, how supportive and encouraging, team work at its best.
"Any Roose Primary School and Roose Nursery children who complete the summer reading challenge will receive a head teacher's sticker and will be entered into a prize draw!" Roose Primary School, Barrow
A huge thank you to everyone who made Sign up Saturday such a success! It was extremely busy with lots of fun happening across WAF Libraries. Worry not there is still lots of time to get involved. pop into your local library throughout the summer to sign up. The challenge runs until 13th September.
 Just kidding
Love to laugh? Then why not check out our choice of the best books to have you rolling in the isle.
What Just Happened?! by Marina Hyde
No other writer is more suited to chronicling the absurd times in which we live. In What Just Happened?! Marina Hyde slashes her way through the hellscape of post-referendum politics, where the chaos never stops. Clamber aboard as we relive every inspirational moment of magic, from David Cameron to Theresa May to Boris Johnson. Marvel at the sights, from Trumpian WTF-ery to celebrity twattery. And boggle at the cast of characters: Hollywood sex offenders, populists, sporting heroes (and villains), dastardly dukes, media barons, movie stars, reality TV monsters, billionaires, police officers, various princes and princesses, wicked advisers, philanthropists, fauxlanthropists, telly chefs, and (naturally) Gwyneth Paltrow. It's the full state banquet of crazy - and you're most cordially invited.
Find BorrowBox eAudio here.
Request to borrow here.
|
Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton
Finding true love can be murder. Gwen Turner, 29, entrepreneur and part-time barista.
Likes: true-crime podcasts, cheese-based snacks (the more unnaturally orange the better) and constantly refreshing her dating apps.
Dislikes: two-day hangovers, people who refer to themselves as entrepreneurs... and discovering her latest match is actually a serial killer (probably should have put that top of the list). They say romance is dead – but if Gwen can't catch the mystery killer who's targeting every man she's ever dated – it's about to get a whole lot more deadly…
Find BorrowBox eBook here.
|
Starship Titanic by Douglas Adams & Terry Jones
Welcome on board the Starship Titanic. The Ship that Cannot Possibly Go Wrong.
At the centre of the galaxy, a vast, unknown civilization is preparing for an event of epic proportions: the launch of the greatest, most gorgeous, most technologically advanced spaceship ever built – the Starship Titanic. While the galaxy’s media looks on, the fabulous ship eases away from the construction dock, picks up speed, sways a little, wobbles a bit, veers wildly and, just before it can do untold damage to everything around it, appears to undergo SMEF (Spontaneous Massive Existence Failure). In just ten seconds, the whole stupendous enterprise is over. And our story has just begun . .
Find BorrowBox eBook here.
Find BorrowBox eAudio here.
|
 Literary bad boys
A great character, no matter the genre just has us running back for more. Looking for something memorable? Then why not get to know these bad boys.
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Jack Reacher jumps off a bus and walks fourteen miles down a country road into Margrave, Georgia. An arbitrary decision he's about to regret.
Reacher is the only stranger in town on the day they have had their first homicide in thirty years.The cops arrest Reacher and the police chief turns eyewitness to place him at the scene. As nasty secrets leak out, and the body count mounts, one thing is for sure.
They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.
Find BorrowBox eBook here.
Find BorrowBox eAudio here.
Request to borrow books by Lee Child here.
|
The Boy at the Door by Alex Dahl
Head of Zeus's lead summer debut. A dark psychological thriller from a brilliant new voice.
Would you lie? Cheat? Or... kill? Cecilia Wilborg has the perfect life. A handsome husband, two beautiful daughters and a luxurious home in the picture-postcard town of Sandefjord. She's the type of woman people envy, and she wants to keep it that way. But then Tobias enters her life. He's a gentle, lonely eight-year-old boy. But he threatens to bring Cecilia's world crashing down. .
Find BorrowBox eBook here.
Request to borrow here.
|
The Brothers by Kimberley Chambers
You don't want to be on the wrong side of this family. Beau Bond hates fiercely and loves hard. He’ll do anything to protect his twin Brett, and his girlfriend Jolene. Brett is a survivor. He’s always followed his brother’s lead, even if it means he's lived to regret it. As Beau and Jolene get hitched, their feuding families must put their differences aside. But the brothers have a dark secret that could cause a war between both sides … and what better place to reveal all than at a wedding …
Find BorrowBox eBook here.
Find BorrowBox eAudio here.
Request to borrow here.
|
Moonchild Sanelly @ Kendal Library
Moonchild Sanelly is a South African musician and dancer. She is known for her signature blue-coloured hair and her self-created music genre called "Future ghetto funk"
Sunday 3rd August 2025, 1:30pm
Kendal Library
|
 |
|
Katherine Priddy @ Barrow Library
Priddy’s haunting vocals and distinctive finger-picking guitar style have seen her sell out a headline tour and support world class artists including The Chieftains, Loudon Wainwright III, Vashti Bunyan and Guy Garvey.
Sunday 7th December 2025, 2:30pm
Barrow Library
|
Regular Events and Activities
Explore a world of fun and learning! Are you ready for an exciting spring filled with captivating events and activities? Look no further than Westmorland and Furness Libraries! Did you know that alongside our exciting events, we offer a variety of regular groups and activities that cater to different interests and promote lifelong learning. Many of these regular groups are completely free, including Baby Bounce and Rhyme, Lego Club, Craft Club, Storytime, Knit and Natter, Chess Club, and many more.
Explore the wonderful opportunities available to you! Find us on Trybooking
Check out our regular groups and activities. 👇
 |
|
Barrow Group Libraries - Walney, Roose, Askam, Ulverston, Dalton & Ormsgill
Penrith Group Libraries - Alston, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen & Shap
Kendal Group Libraries - Ambleside, Grange, Kirkby Longsdale, Milnthorpe, Sedbergh & Windermere
|
Follow Us on Social Media
Stay connected with us on social media! Did you know that Westmorland and Furness libraries can be found on across social media. Pop on over to your chosen platform to keep up to date and informed about all the latest happenings at Westmorland and Furness Libraries!
Join our growing online community and be the first to know about the engaging activities and resources we have in store for you.
Don't miss out - follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram today!
👉 Follow us on Facebook
👉 Follow us on Twitter
👉 Follow us on Instagram
👉 Follow us on tiktok
|
|
|
|
|
|
