 Wokingham Library celebrates 100th anniversary
Wokingham Library celebrated its 100th birthday with a charity coffee morning on Thursday 5 September.
Around 70 people attended, including Borough Mayor Cllr Adrian Mather, as they learned more about the history of the library and enjoyed delicious homemade cakes.
The celebration raised more than £150 for SHARE Wokingham, which redistributes food to those in need that would otherwise go to waste.
Also in attendance were former library staff and the many volunteers involved in the library service. There was a display board with information about the history of Wokingham Library, which has had four homes in its history.
Members of CLASP Wokingham visited the library for the second time in two days, as the choir performed Dancing Queen by ABBA, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond and The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book.
 Get creative with these autumn half-term activities
We have lots of fun sessions running this October half-term to entertain little ones, including crafts, art sessions and Halloween-themed activities:
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Rhymetime at Arborfield Library, Monday 28 October, 10.30am to 11am. Join us for fun songs and rhymes. It is free to attend and no registration is needed
- Spooky stories and crafts and spooky Storytime at Lower Earley Library, Tuesday 29 October. There is a £1 donation for crafts, which starts at 10.30am with booking required
- Spooky Storytime at Wokingham Library starts at 4pm on Tuesday 29 October and is free to attend, just drop-in
- Hearing Dogs for the Deaf at Wokingham Library, Wednesday 30 October, 10am to 12 noon. No booking is required for this free session
- Spooky stories and crafts at Winnersh Library, Thursday 31 October, 3.45pm. There is a £1 donation for crafts and booking is required
- Get Arty at Wokingham Library (10.30am to 11.30am) and Finchampstead Library (2.30pm to 3.30pm), Friday 1 November. This session costs £2 and booking is required
Events will be open for bookings two weeks before October half-term on our library events website.
 Events for adults - Book groups and charity help
Age Concern
Come and chat, share any concerns and ask for advice about local support services. We welcome Age Concern to Wokingham Library on Tuesday 17 September from 9.30am to 11.30am. To find out more, send Age Concern an email or call (0118) 934 4040.
Shared Reading
Held at Wokingham Library, Shared Reading is a fun and free group that meets every Tuesday from 12.15pm to 1.45pm. There is no pressure to read aloud or share your thoughts and you can just sit back, relax and enjoy hearing great stories and poems.
Men's Oasis
This group meets on the fourth Friday of each month from 10am to 12 noon at Wokingham Library. Sessions often involve guest speakers, discussions and workshops, with the next meeting taking place on 27 September.
Visually Impaired Book Group
Join our friendly group for the visually impaired and enjoy some great discussion about books. Held on the third Friday of the month at Wokingham Library, the next session is on 20 September from 2.15pm to 3.30pm.
 Boost your digital literacy with free skills sessions
Do you need help with digital skills? Bring your phone, laptop or tablet to our libraries and our volunteers will help you with basic digital skills questions such as:
- Using a computer, tablet or mobile phone
- How to find and use information on the internet
- Accessing and using your emails and social media
- Help with apps and Microsoft
All sessions run from 10am to 11.30am and are free to attend, with no booking needed. Our next sessions will be run at:
- Woodley Library - Thursday 3 and Monday 7 October
- Lower Earley Library - Monday 23 September
- Twyford Library - Friday 4 October
- Finchampstead Library - Friday 11 October
We also hold a digital skills for beginners session at Wokingham Library every Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm, which is free and no registration is required.
Please note that to connect your devices to the library Wi-Fi network, you will need to be a registered library member. It is free to join the library and all you need is proof of address.
 Help your community by volunteering with us
We are looking for volunteers to help out at Spencers Wood Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The role would require you to open and close the library, undertake daily health and safety checks and shelve books. Volunteers work in teams and provide friendly service to visitors.
Volunteers are required to commit to a certain number of hours at this site per month and will be required to complete compulsory training and a basic DBS check. All volunteers are supported by the extended libraries team.
All applicants must be at least 21-years-old and the deadline for applications is Monday 30 September. If you are interested in volunteering, get in touch.
News from the world of books and award winners
Check out our Wokingham Borough Libraries blog to read articles on the latest from the world of books. This includes recommended reading and features on award nominations and winners:
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