Suffolk Libraries is celebrating Libraries Week!

Next week is Libraries Week (4-10 October) and Suffolk Libraries will be joining in the celebrations with a series of events and activities.

This year’s theme is ‘Taking Action, Changing Lives’ which is an ideal way of marking the impact that library services across the country have on their communities, particularly over the past year. The contribution of Suffolk Libraries in the local community was marked at its recent AGM.

Libraries Week is coordinated by CILIP, the Library and Information Association and is an annual showcase and celebration of the best that libraries have to offer.

Suffolk Libraries has arranged a host of activities to mark the event and demonstrate the range of activities and services on offer across the county. Events will feature free online author talks, fun story times and crafts for children, library tours and a conga in Capel!

Suffolk Libraries has also published a special list of children’s books which have the theme of ‘Taking Action and Changing Lives’ and feature real people who changed the world.

Next week Suffolk Libraries and BBC Suffolk are also launching a new series of podcasts. Around Suffolk in 40 Stories will feature a new ‘human library’ of podcasts featuring the voices of people across the county to promote intercultural understanding through storytelling.

Suffolk Libraries is also highlighting the huge contribution of staff over the past year with its first Staff Recognition Event with a series of awards being given out to staff from across the county next week.

Krystal Vittles, Suffolk Libraries Head of Service Delivery, said:

“Libraries Week is a marvellous opportunity for us to showcase what our library service is all about. Since the relaxation of COVID regulations we’ve been adding more and more events and activities and I’m always amazed at the creativity and diversity of what we offer both in libraries and online. Every week is Libraries Week for us and we hope that this celebration will encourage some more people to discover what’s waiting for them.”

Here is a selection of events and activities taking place during Libraries Week:

Suffolk Libraries are running an online autumn book festival with author interviews every day from Monday 4 October to Sunday 10 October. Authors include Lisa Jewell, James Swallow and Jane Fallon.

Bury St Edmunds Library has arranged a week of activities to showcase the library’s regular programme for all ages including a LEGO challenge, origami workshop, self-massage, watercolour painting, a Warhammer event and Hogwarts Day event.

Stowmarket Library will be officially unveiling their newly-rennovated garden space on Saturday 9 October with Stowmarket Bells and children’s author James Campbell.

Ipswich County Library will have a Library Love Tree available for customers to add a leaf with a message about what libraries mean to them. On Saturday 9 October children can also enter a competition to design a library superhero cape and there will be a board game café for all ages.

On Thursday 7 October Chantry Library will be showing a free screening of the new Dance Under Suffolk Skies film at 10.50AM.

Gainsborough Library are holding a coffee morning on Tuesday 5 October, along with an adult craft session and Reading Sparks activities. Local schools will also be visiting the library all week and there will be a Love Your Library Tree available for people to add their messages of support. Visitors to the library can also now enjoy its colourful new ‘Make Today Amazing’ mural created by young people and a local artist.

Lowestoft Library are offering a behind the scenes library tour including the special county reserve collection.

The new Mildenhall Library at the Mildenhall Hub is offering a range of activities to showcase the new library including a special Baby Bounce on Monday 4 October, where Executive Library Manager Kate Ashton will be dressing as Max from Where the Wild Things Are. There will also be plenty of other activities during the week.

Newmarket Library will be asking ‘What do libraries mean to you?’ and inviting customers to draw their own Newmarket Library coat of arms or enter a children’s poetry competition.

Capel St Mary Library are holding a special Teddy Bear’s Picnic Tot Rock session on Thursday 7 October with crafts and a conga around the library. The library is also holding a special event to thank its volunteers in the afternoon.

Rosehill Library will be showcasing Suffolk Libraries online services at special activities during the week including the eLibrary, Ancestry and Find My Past and using Britannica Online.

At Stoke Library in Ipswich on Tuesday 5 October there will be a Room on the Broom event with craft activities for young children.

Woodbridge Library are holding a volunteer fair as part of Suffolk Action Week and a Dungeons and Dragons event. The local Brownies group are also enjoying a tour of the library.

Clare Library and Lavenham Library are both holding coffee mornings during the week.

There are plenty of other events and activities on offer with Suffolk Libraries publishing a monthly list of the top ten children’s events and top ten adult’s events for October.

Thanks to The Reading Agency, libraries across Suffolk also have free copies of The Motive by Khurrum Rahman to give away. This crime thriller is an excellent choice for anyone who may not be a regular or confident reader as it’s short and easy to get into.

If you are interested in attending any of these events, you can contact the libraries directly for more information.