Dear Volunteer,
We hope this newsletter finds you well and that the recent storms have not caused you too many problems.
We also hope that you've had an opportunity to catch up with all our news in the latest customer newsletter.
As you may know it is World Book Day on Thursday 3 March. Look out for children dressed up as their favourite story book character - you may see some staff dressed up too!
We also have information for adults who aren't confident readers - more on this later in the newsletter.
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March is a busy time in our libraries as we celebrate Wellbeing Month 2022. This is an opportunity for us to highlight the many ways that libraries support wellbeing for all. This year we have five themes for the month - hobbies, kindness, mindfulness, be active and reading.
We recognise that looking after our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others is important. To help us all, libraries will be offering a host of wellbeing suggestions and activities throughout March, including:
- Free drop-in sessions in some libraries, with partners such as Age UK, Apetito and Aspire.
- Staff recommendations of mood-boosting books and photographs of what helps their wellbeing. (We'd really value your help here; please see the article below.)
- Online there will be Storytimes, top tips, “Fully Booked” video book reviews and reminiscence sessions available for all.
To help celebrate Wellbeing Month 2022 can we ask you to share this library offer with friends and family?
Look out for further details at your local library.
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Can you help the Families & Wellbeing Team with their plans for Wellbeing Month in March?
Please send the team a recommendation for a mood-boosting book, along with a sentence to describe it. They may be combined with staff recommendations into a booklist for Wellbeing Month.
Alternatively, take a photo and write a short sentence about something that helps your wellbeing, e.g. 'my cat sitting on my lap in the evening' or 'baking a cake to share', then send it to the team. The photos will be combined into a video to put on our Wellbeing Month Arena page.
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You may have recently seen that Jay Blades, popular presenter of BBC One's The Repair Shop, has made it his goal to repair his own reading skills at the age of 51. Jay said, “My goal [is] to read a bedtime story to my daughter.”
Broadcast last week, Jay Blades: Learning to Read at 51 revealed how he has coped with life with a reading age of 11 and the support he has had along the way.
Do you know someone who struggles with their reading? If so, the library can help. We have English Skills books and Quick Reads to help you get started. Why not pop into your local library and ask for details?
We have recently been talking with Read Easy UK who are a national charity that help adults learn to read. Read Easy works by matching trained volunteer reading coaches with non- or beginner readers for 1:1 support and has established a successful track record because of its flexible, fun and free approach. They are starting a new Read Easy group for everyone in Chichester and Arun Districts.
Read Easy Chichester and Arun is holding two online public meetings at the start of March. You can join them to learn more about the project, the volunteer roles and the ways that you can get involved in helping adults in our area who struggle with reading. Representatives from groups who might be able to refer new readers to them later this year are also welcome to come along and learn more about that important role.
They are running two meetings on Zoom:
- 2 March at 1.30pm
- 3 March at 6.00pm
What a great way to celebrate World Book Day!
All are welcome. If you would like to attend one of these meetings, please get the sign-up details by emailing the Group Pioneer
Or you can follow them on Facebook and keep up to date with Read Easy Chichester and Arun's progress.
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The day-to-day library service is supported by our specialist teams; Books, Reading and Culture, Bibliographic Support Services, Contracted Services, Digital Access, Enquiries, Learning and Enterprise and Families and Wellbeing. |
Books, Reading and Culture (BRC)
The BRC team advocate reading and library use, manage stock selection, maintain stock collections in libraries and oversee donations. They also co-ordinate events, festivals and reading groups. The team contributes to our online presence including Facebook and Twitter.
 Bibliographic Support Services (BSS)
Based in Chichester the BSS team process all the new stock for Libraries. The van deliveries also run from here and visit all 36 Libraries on a daily basis.
Digital Access Team (DAT)
The DA Team promote our Digital Support Offer in libraries, manage our digital strategy (coding and help sheets) and co-ordinate our social media and eNewsletters. They also support Arena, the Library App and GDPR.
 Enquiries, Learning and Enterprise (ELE)
The ELE Team advocate enquiries, learning and enterprise services to partners and communities, develop engaging business support activities and manage a comprehensive enquiry handling strategy. They oversee a range of different resources and services such as eInformation, Local Studies, support for Jobs and Careers and Family History. They also support frontline staff to deliver and maintain and promote the Council Library Information Online (CLIO) system.
 Families and Wellbeing (F & W)
The F & W Team advocate reading and library use for targeted groups, including children and older people and also advocate library services that support wellbeing. They manage, develop and promote library activities and services for children and families, including Rhyme Time, Summer Reading Challenge and Understand Me. They also produce a range of booklists to support children which can be found on our library website.
The F & W Team also manage, develop and promote our Home Library Direct service and develop a strategy for dementia support, which includes promoting reminiscence collections and supporting Reading Friends sessions.
 Contracted Services
Contracted Service advocate the Schools Library Service offer to teachers, manage, develop and promote project loans and deliver annual school book awards. They also manage, develop and promote Ford Prison library service.
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