 Celebrating 35 years of Lower Earley Library
We are holding lots of fun events to mark the 35th anniversary of the opening of Lower Earley Library.
The library celebrates its birthday on Wednesday 23 November when it is closed to the public, but there are lots of ways to get involved over the coming weeks, including a charity coffee morning and a quiz night. Help us celebrate in style by attending one of our events.
Here is what we have in store at Lower Earley Library:
- Eighties reminiscence session - Tuesday 15 November, 10.30am to 11.30am. Take a trip down memory lane and enjoy exclusively 80s nostalgia. Just drop in
- Rhymetime - Tuesday 15 November, 10am to 10.30am. The usual Rhymetime session, where we will be singing some celebratory rhymes alongside our usual favourites. Booking is required
- Memories of Earley - Friday 18 November, 10.30am to 11.30am. Paul Windley, who runs the 'Memories and Issues of Earley' Facebook group, will be presenting a selection of photographs of Earley from the last 100 years. Just drop in
- Charity quiz and raffle - Tuesday 22 November, Doors 6.30pm for 7pm start. Join us for a quiz where all proceeds will be donated to Alexandra Devine Children’s Hospice and the Borough Mayor's chosen charity, Wokingham Foodbank. Booking is essential via Lower Earley by calling (0118) 931 2150 or by emailing libraries@wokingham.gov.uk with 'Lower Earley Quiz' in the subject heading. This is a cash only event
- 35th birthday party and charity coffee morning - Thursday 24 November, 10.30am to 12.30pm. Share memories of the library and enjoy tasty homemade cakes. All proceeds will go to Wokingham Foodbank. Just drop in. This is a cash only event
For more information or to make a booking, please visit our events pages.
 Town abuzz during children's book festival
Dozens of young readers enjoyed the exciting return of the Wokingham Children's Book Festival, which was held during the weekend of October 15 and 16.
We welcomed lots of brilliant authors to the town for talks at Wokingham Town Hall and the new Wokingham Library at the Carnival Hub.
Authors shared their enthusiasm for their stories and stirred the imagination of children, who came out in strong numbers either with their families or their schools.
Now in its fifth year, the festival saw talks held in person and online, with authors including Holly Webb, Louie Stowell and Steve Antony.
We are already really excited to see what next year has to offer!
 History Wardrobe presents: A Wartime Christmas
Join us at Woodley Library on Wednesday 30 November to discover the delights of simple pleasures, including warm clothes, homemade gifts, decorations and delicious food.
Christmas during wartime shines a light on companionship, connections and making a little go a long way. Find out what to wear to dazzle by candlelight, how to sweeten your Christmas pudding and what treats might be in your stocking.
The event runs from 7pm to 8.30pm and it is £8 to attend, which includes a festive refreshment. Booking is essential and please pay directly at Woodley Library before the event. Doors will be open from 6.30pm.
Wokingham Library is hosting a book chat on Tuesday 29 November from 10.30am to 11.30am. Find out what’s new in the world of books, swap recommendations and get inspired for Christmas presents. Just drop in.
For more information or to make a booking, please visit our events pages.
 Make your Christmas extra special for a good cause
Lower Earley and Wokingham Library are once again playing host to the Cards for Good Causes charity Christmas cards.
Covering cards from a wide array of charities, you can pop into these libraries to collect your cards, as well as a few handy bits and pieces to make your Christmas extra special.
The cards are already available to purchase and will be available until Christmas Eve. Please be aware, only cash can be accepted.
Let sparks fly with one of our activity boxes
Our fun Reading Sparks activity boxes have moved from Lower Earley to Woodley Library. Each of the free boxes contains a book and a science experiment for families to borrow and try at home.
There are four different themes to choose from:
- Space
- Machines
- Invisible nature
- Animals
Once you have completed the experiment, just return the box to the library with the completed evaluations to receive a CREST Award. The Reading Sparks project was created by The Reading Agency with the aim of building confidence and engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through reading.
For more information, just ask our staff at the library counter.
 Donate toiletries and toys to families in need
Lower Earley Library has recently started working with the Berkshire Hygiene Bank to collect donations of toiletries for those in need.
Being able to buy items such as shampoo, deodorant or period products is something most of us take for granted. For many low-income households, especially those affected most by the cost of living crisis, these essential products have become out of reach luxuries. Please feel free to bring your donations to the library and look for the yellow bin to add your donations.
If you are struggling to afford period products, a pick-up point has been set up at Lower Earley Library, with Wokingham and Woodley set to follow suit in the coming weeks. We will update you on this soon.
Another donation point that can be found at the library throughout November is the Reading Family Aid Toys and Teens Appeal, where good quality toys and other items are sent to disadvantaged children and teens in the wider Reading area, including Wokingham Borough.
We are also collecting for the NHS Christmas Gift Giving Tree, which provides gifts for patients who are lonely and in hospital over Christmas. Toiletries, puzzles, books and jigsaws are some of the items you may want to donate.
Get creative at teen writing group
Do you enjoy creative writing, or have a son or daughter who does? Sign up for one of our teen writing groups, which run at Wokingham Library on Saturday mornings during term-time.
Sessions include fun writing activities, useful writing tips and group discussions on story ideas. These are open to students from Year 6 to Year 13. Booking in advance is essential and please visit our events pages for details of how to sign up.
Children in Year 6 to 8 meet from 9.45am to 11.15am, while those in Year 9 to 13 meet from 11.45am to 1.15pm.
 Make your mark by volunteering at our libraries
Do you enjoy writing and discussing books? Wokingham Library is looking for volunteers to support the Teen Writing Group held every Saturday. Sessions run from 9.45am to 11.15am and 11.45am to 1.15pm, giving volunteers a break in between.
Woodley Library is looking for a Rhymetime volunteer. Rhymetime is held on the second Wednesday of each month, from 10am to 10.30am. Volunteers deliver interactive sessions where children and their carers can sing together in the library.
We are looking for people who would be willing to deliver a session once a month. You don’t need to have a good singing voice, but you should have a lot of enthusiasm and be happy to sing in public.
Our self-service micro library at the School Green Centre in Shinfield is looking for volunteers to help once a week. They would need to be on site for two hours to put back returned books and help keep the shelves tidy.
If you are interested in applying for any of these opportunities, please email volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk
Careers advice, great reads and much more
The National Careers Service team offer free help to over 18s at Wokingham Library on alternate Tuesdays. This includes career advice, CV help, apprenticeships and interview preparation. The next sessions are on 8 and 22 November from 10am to 1pm. Appointments must be booked via 0800 100 900 or by emailing ncsberkshire@advia.org.uk
Award-winning recommendations on our blog
Find out who the national prize winners are by reading our book blogs. Selected titles are available to borrow or reserve from our libraries. We have blog articles on:
Changes to Pressreader app
The way you log in to the Pressreader app will shortly be changing. You will still need your library card number, but now you will also need your PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN you can reset it online. If you do not have a PIN, visit any of our libraries and ask staff to provide one.
Stream and download music
You can access Freegal Music through Wokingham Libraries, giving you access to over 15 million songs, which you can stream and download.
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