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• This Month's Featured Events
• News, Views and Thank Yous
• Recommended Reads this October
• Coming Soon!...
• What's On
• Stay Connected

Welcome to Your Library News

Welcome to this month's Library newsletter. This November 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.

This Month's Featured Events

Our Freedom: Then and Now. Comic Book Launch and Exhibition.

Barrow Library Saturday 8th November 1pm

Barrow Library is thrilled to welcome all to a Comic Book launch and Exhibition. Following our year long community project, Our Freedom: Then and Now. This free and interactive event will launch a new comic-art book created specially for Barrow Library by artist Lyndon White. Come along and hear how this book has been created with a talk and Q&A with the artist. Take a limited signed copy of 'After The Fire' away with you. We will be joined by special guest Caleb Staps with a poetry performance of original works on themes of freedom and war. Followed by a special tea. Barrow Library will transform into a space of shared memory and imagination, where stories of freedom—past and present—come to life. All welcome. 

Chess Tournament Penrith Library Saturday 15th November 2 - 4pm Penrith Library are hosting a Chess Tournament on Saturday 15 November between 2-4pm. A knowledge of how to play chess is required to enter. The tournament is open to participants up to and including those in school year 8.

News, Views and Thank Yous

Celebrating Story Garden

The Summer Reading Challenge 2025!

The Summer Reading Challenge is organised by The Reading Agency and delivered locally by Westmorland and Furness Libraries. The scheme encourages children aged 4 to 12 to read six library books over the summer holidays. From fiction and non-fiction, to poetry, joke books or picture books, children can read any literature of their choice.

This year’s theme was ‘Story Garden’ and aimed to inspire children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature. The initiative not only champions a love for reading but also helps to prevent the summer learning ‘dip’, ensuring children are ready for the upcoming academic year.

Our libraries have been buzzing with activity from super sign up Saturday in July right through to the finish in September. We have had workshops, craft activities, storytelling sessions on a Story Garden theme as well as children coming in to borrow books and receive their stickers and incentives.

Nationally over 700,000 children participate in the Summer Reading Challenge each year, and this year 1857 children across Westmorland and Furness took part in the challenge and borrowed an amazing 6628 books and a further 7000 ebooks and eaudioo books during the Summer Reading Challenge campaign. Over a thousand children who read 5 books or more were given a cress head to take away decorate and grow at home.

1009 children managed to read 6 books or more and complete the challenge to receive a certificate and a medal of which they can be very proud.

All library staff are involved as well as our Summer Reading Challenge volunteers who play an important role in helping to register children for the challenge and hand out incentives. The school’s competition and prize draw all helped to encourage children to join up and take part.

We received some lovely comments from customers whose children had taken part in the challenge:

One mother said how wonderful the Summer Reading Challenge had been for her daughter, that she had enjoyed it very much and that her reading had really come on during the holidays. The child’s reading had progressed from Easy Readers and picture books to enjoying reading chapter books, and all through the incentive of the SRC.

"We Love the Summer Reading Challenge. Really encourages my kids to read."

"It gave the girls a focus and challenge to read over the school summer holidays. They also enjoyed reading back to us at bedtime."

Comments like this demonstrate what a crucial role the challenge plays in helping children to read for pleasure and we are already looking forward to the Summer Reading Challenge 2026 when the theme will be ‘Read to the Beat’.

Dyslexia Awareness Week - Raise The Volume

Dyslexia Awareness Week by The British Dyslexia Association took place from 6th to 12th October. This year's Dyslexia Awareness Week theme was Dyslexia: Raising the Volume. Our Library Development Officer, Cathy, is Dyslexic and decided to Raise the Volume by taking part in a tour of local secondary schools in Barrow. She told her personal story and promoted how the library can support dyslexic readers. Cathy was delighted to be working in partnership with school librarians to deliver 'Meet the Dyslexic Librarian' sessions for school staff and pupils, raising the volume with hundreds of local children. Cathy aims to expand this impact by continuing her tour to other schools across Westmorland and Furness.

"It's been a joy to have Cathy join our KS3 and KS4 assemblies. The assemblies were inspiring and empowering as we heard about Cathy's personal experience of dyslexia, and about the resources available at Barrow and Walney libraries. All our students can be successful!"

Walney Secondary School Librarian

"Cathy came with great knowledge and enthusiasm.  We all felt what she was doing was very valuable and we were able to share her ideas with colleagues.  We were pleased with the accessibility of the services and her willingness to work with us some more."

Furness academy School Librarian

"We are hugely grateful to Cathy for coming and talking to our staff and students about dyslexia-friendly resources accessible via public libraries. We also appreciate the resources you brought with you for our students to enjoy and we will be sharing them with parents throughout the school year. We work to make our school library as diverse and accessible to all; so thank you for helping us to achieve this."

Dowdales School Librarian

Did you know that Westmorland and Furness Libraries hold a collection from the amazing publisher Barrington Stoke? Why not read a Dyslexia Friendly book? Choose a book to request here.

We were also delighted to have successfully lobbied our BorrowBox consortium to significantly increase our digital dyslexic friendly book collection available through Borrow Box now!

Tales and Tails - Arcturus, the Kendal Library Dragon!

Kendal Library were delighted to host a storytelling marathon in aid of Kendal Community Theatre’s December production. The audience were treated to a feast of animal stories, read by extremely talented KCT members. Participants brought themselves, their family, and even their cuddly animals. They took part in a quiz to discover animal images around Kendal and heard the first reading of a new story about Arcturus, the Kendal Library Dragon. Written especially for the occasion, by local author, Stuart Atkinson. Thank you to Kendal Community Theatre for this lovely event.

Walney Library is Back Open!

Walney Library reopened to to the public on Friday 31 October. A huge thank you to all our amazing staff who worked so hard to get the library ready. 
Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to investing in libraries and has given Walney Library a top-to-bottom refresh, including roof works, new energy efficient lighting and electrics, fresh decor, new flooring and a sleek modern reception desk. We can't wait to welcome you back and we hope you love the new look as much as we do!

Young Makers Market

We loved hosting the Young Makers Market at Barrow Library! A huge thank you to Tilly for organising the event and to everyone who came to support. Tilly offered those aged 10–17 who love to create, craft, or perform free stalls to sell their handmade goods or perform. Young people came together, made some noise, and celebrated the amazing creativity in Barrow’s youth community.

What a fantastic turn out! It was great to celebrate young creatives in such a fun way and we are proud to be a safe and calming place for all our customers. 

"I'm so excited to be hosting a Young Makers Market. When I launched Noisy Neuro, it wasn’t just about sharing my passion for creativity through handmade bags and accessories — it was about creating space for other young creatives to shine." Tilly 

Murder Mystery @ The Library!

We were delighted to welcome crime author Martin Edwards to Kendal, Penrith and Barrow Libraries. Library staff got into the 1920's spirit with bow-ties and feathers to host murder mystery evenings among the bookshelves. Three evenings of cosy crime set in a Lake District country house unfolded, written by crime author Martin Edwards and presented by staff from our Kendal and Penrith libraries, and by Ulverston Outsiders amateur dramatics society at Barrow Library. Tickets sold quickly and audiences weighed up the evidence over wine, coffee, tea and biscuits.

"We had customers who said it was their first time in the library but would definitely come back," said Kinga Cichowska, Library Development Officer.

"Some said they felt encouraged to try a new literary genre. The customers definitely wanted more murder mystery events in our libraries.
I spoke to a lovely customer in Kendal who told me she had struggled with her mental health for some days and the murder mystery event in Kendal offered her a nice distraction and cheered her up! She felt much better afterwards."

Novelist Martin Edwards has been praised as a true master of British crime writing by Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club.
Martin thanked our teams for "organising everything so splendidly" and for making the evenings "so enjoyable".

Witness For The Prosecution  The Coro - 25th - 28th November A huge thank you to Ulverston Outsiders for performing at our Murder Mystery evening. If you enjoyed seeing them as much as we did then why not go along to their upcoming production of Witness For The Prosecution at the Coronation Hall Ulverston.

Recommended Reads this October

Movember 2025: Let’s get talking about men’s health

Movember is back and with it, a renewed push to get men talking about their health. Each year, the campaign raises awareness of men’s mental health, while encouraging early support and lifesaving conversations. Why not have a look at our pick of great books to read for Movember?

Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

From Borrower to wizard, Tom Felton's adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame saw him catapulted into the limelight aged just twelve when he landed the iconic role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. Speaking with candour and his own trademark humour, Tom shares his experience of growing up on screen and as part of the wizarding world for the very first time. He tells all about his big break, what filming was really like and the lasting friendships he made during ten years as part of the franchise, as well as the highs and lows of fame and the reality of navigating adult life after filming finished. Find BorrowBox eBook here. Find BorrowBox eAudio here.

Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco

Before becoming the actor, producer, advocate, and model that people know today, Nyle DiMarco was half of a pair of Deaf twins born to a multi-generational Deaf family in Queens, New York. Deaf Utopia is more than a memoir, it is a cultural anthem a proud and defiant song of Deaf culture. Through his stories and those of his Deaf brothers, parents, and grandparents, Nyle opens many windows into the Deaf experience. Deaf Utopia is intimate, suspenseful, hilarious, eye-opening, and smart—both a memoir and a celebration of what makes Deaf culture unique and beautiful. Find BorrowBox eAudio here.

Freddie Flintoff by Andrew Flintoff

A look back at the moments that made Freddie Flintoff. Told in short scenes, Fred zeroes-in on the crucial instances that shaped his career and life. After retiring, Fred thought he'd left the game behind, relaunching himself in the world of entertainment, but following the car crash that turned his life upside down, it was cricket to which he returned. This book is a reflection on a unique life, a story like no other, and a love letter to the game that made him. Honest, open, reflective and funny, like the man himself, this is Freddie Flintoff, in full, in his own words. Find BorrowBox eAudio here. Find BorrowBox eBook here.

Variable Valve Timings by Chris Harris

Nobody knows cars like Chris Harris does. He calls it 'unhinged geekery', but the rest of the world call it infectious enthusiasm, adrenaline fuelled escapism and rigorous journalistic integrity. And then there are his famous skills at the wheel, from city cars to rally cars, not forgetting the Guinness World Record 3.4km sideways in an electric car. And now for the first time, Harris takes us down the road of his life-long obsession with the automobile - along surprising diversions, around hazards and obstructions, down the fast lane collecting Gs and back to the lock-up to prep the stock. Find BorrowBox eBook here. Find BorrowBox eAudio here.

Coming Soon!...

Go All In. 2026 The Year Of Reading!

We are really excited to be getting ready for 2026 the year of reading. Everyone knows the benefits of reading: it expands your world, sharpens your mind. It might even make you more creative or successful. But we believe it's just a matter of shifting the focus. So for the National Year of Reading in 2026, we're bringing reading to where culture is. We believe reading is a powerful plug-in to the things you already love – a great way to go deeper into your existing passions. Put simply we say: ‘if you’re into it, read into it’. We’re asking the nation to Go All in and see how reading in all its forms can unlock more of what you love – whether it’s music, baking, family time, films, sci-fi or… anything.

Whatever you're into. ​

Get ready to GO ALL IN.

What's On

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

Stay Connected

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