It has been lovely to see so many of you over the past few weeks in our libraries. Thank you to everybody for helping us to maintain our existing measures to ensure the safety of staff, customers, volunteers and everybody visiting the library buildings.
Our aim is to help everyone to feel safe and we have received some really positive feedback from you. In particular, one customer told us:
“I simply wanted to thank you for maintaining COVID safety procedures in the libraries. I have a vulnerable spouse and am finding it very difficult to find anywhere safe to visit post-19th July. So thank you for keeping the libraries safe.”
You can read our previous library newsletter to find out what to expect when visiting the library, the safety measures we have in place and what you can do to help.
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It's wonderful that so many families across West Sussex are eagerly awaiting the return of Baby Rhyme Time, and we're just as keen to get it back up and running ourselves. Sessions will be trialled at some libraries in the coming weeks, before a phased reintroduction across all 36 locations.
We've adopted a gradual and considered approach to restarting all of our regular activities, and Rhyme Time is no different! Our existing safety measures will continue, with smaller numbers attending to allow for distance between families.
This will give as many families as possible the opportunity to enjoy Rhyme Time without sessions being oversubscribed, so that everyone feels comfortable during their time at the library.
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...and the knitting needles go clickety clack!
We also know how important our regular activities for adults are for many of you, and we're really looking forward to welcoming you back. We'll be gradually reintroducing activities such as Knit and Natter, Board Games and Relax with Colouring throughout the autumn in a COVID-safe way.
Further details and dates of all these activities will be advertised in future newsletters and at your local library - keep your eyes peeled!
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You may remember that the theme of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week in May was nature. With this in mind, a group of West Sussex library staff recently got chatting about the books that have inspired them to go out into nature.
We've captured this conversation in a special bonus episode of our Lend Us Your Ears podcast. Why not have a listen and see if you agree with our book choices?
You can find the full list of titles discussed, plus more ideas from local library staff, on our wellbeing resources page.
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The West Sussex Libraries app has recently had a facelift! Watch our video guide to find out what's different. If you've got the app on your phone or tablet, you may have already discovered some great new features.
One of the most useful is the ability to link accounts. You will be able to see loans and reservations across multiple accounts without logging out. This is ideal for families who want to see all their children’s loans in one place!
If you have the app but the changes do not automatically appear, you may need to reinstall it. For help downloading, reinstalling or just using the app, why not give our Remote Digital Support line a ring and we’ll arrange for a volunteer to talk you through it?
The team is available Monday - Friday, 10.00am - 4.00pm to take enquiries. They can be contacted by phone - 0330 222 3455 or by email.
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Schools are out for summer and this year's Summer Reading Challenge is well underway. If your children haven't signed up to Wild World Heroes yet, come and join the fun!
It's free to register online, then simply visit your nearest library quoting the secret code word and we'll reward you with a map and sticker pack. Children can set their own target and read as many library books as they want to, in any format, throughout the summer. From today, Monday 2 August, medals and certificates will be available in libraries for children who finish their challenge.
If you've taken part in previous years, you'll remember the hugely popular Character Hunt - it's back for 2021! Find where all 10 Wild World Heroes characters are hidden within your local library to be entered into our prize draw.
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Do you need advice on implementing a workplace wellbeing programme for your staff? Join our colleagues from Brighton’s Jubilee Library Business Centre on Zoom for a free 30-minute advice session on Tuesday 17 August.
Laura Wood from the Healthy Lifestyles Team at Brighton and Hove City Council will speak about putting a wellbeing programme into action for your staff, covering:
- Workplace health and wellbeing overview
- Implementing a workplace wellbeing programme
- COVID work impact
- Brighton and Hove City Council support*
- Useful resources
* This part is specific to Brighton and Hove businesses.
Book your free place now: How to implement a workplace wellbeing programme Tuesday 17 August 2021, 12.00pm-12.30pm. This event will take place on Zoom.
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A number of West Sussex libraries are now offering free COVID-19 lateral flow test kits for local residents aged 18 and over. These test kits are for home use and give a result in 30 minutes. Results are then recorded online via the GOV.UK website.
Around one in three people with COVID-19 do not have symptoms. These lateral flow tests help to find cases in people who may have no symptoms but are still infectious and can give the virus to others. They make a valuable contribution to increasing testing in the community and reducing the rate of transmission of the virus.
Test kits can be picked up from the help desk at the following libraries: Bognor, Broadfield, Burgess Hill, Chichester, Crawley, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath, Horsham, Lancing, Littlehampton, Selsey, Shoreham, Storrington and Worthing. Library staff will be able to assist with any queries - so please ask!
For more information about COVID lateral flow test kits and testing, visit the West Sussex County Council website.
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The next episode of West Sussex Unwrapped, brought to you by West Sussex Record Office and Screen Archive South East, launches on Tuesday 10 August.
Exploring the history of Shoreham Harbour, it features film footage of the shipping and the docks in operation in 1962, as well as archives dating back to the 1700s. The episode shows the origins of the early harbour and the fascinating stories behind its development.
You can find more information about West Sussex Unwrapped in the latest Record Office blog post, or watch the previous West Sussex Unwrapped Live event and more on the new Record Office YouTube channel. Don't forget that there are details on the website about the new series of Online Tuesday Talks!
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