Welcome
Spring is in the air, and we're excited to bring you the
March edition of our newsletter, packed with special events,
workshops, book recommendations and details about our brand new
website, designed to make your library experience even more enjoyable
and accessible.
If you're not already, make sure you're following us on
social media to get the latest news and see what we're up to. You can
also check out our What's
On in Leeds Libraries page on Leeds Inspired for
more details.
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Unleash your curiosity with our full programme of
dazzling Leeds Lit Fest events for children and families!
Throughout the festival you'll have the chance to meet
a variety of vibrant authors, illustrators, theatre performers and
storytellers from across the UK and enjoy their interactive
sessions. Featuring Bethan Woollvin, James Catchpole, Kereen
Getten, Kate Pankhurst, Wrongsemble and many more…
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Saturday 9 March, 1.30pm, Leeds
Central Library
The Catchpole Agency is a family-run literary agency
based in Oxford, specialising in children’s literature from board
books for babies up to novels for teenagers. Find out from James
Catchpole what it’s like to be a literary agent, as he discusses
his experiences with fellow children's author and Leeds-based indie
publisher Matthew Hodson - a great opportunity to get some tips
about how to get your work recognised by a children’s publisher.
A pay-what-you-decide event for adults.
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International Women's Day
Events
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Wednesday 13 March, 6.30pm at
Leeds Central Library
Ajay's new novel explores the story of Reclaim the
Night and the women's liberation movement in Leeds.
It combines the tension of a police procedural with
the power and passion of the women’s lib movement. By turns
emotional, action-packed and darkly funny, What Doesn’t Kill
Us reveals just how much the world has changed
since the 1970s – and how much it hasn’t.
Ajay will be in conversation with Diana Muir, a junior
reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post in 1978.
Copies of the book will be sold on the night. Tickets
are Pay As You Feel, with a suggested price of £7.
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Wednesday 20 March, 1pm,
Sanderson Room, Leeds Central Library. Free
Prison ‘zines’ or newsletters played a crucial role in
shaping the prisoner rights and women’s movements in the USA in the
1970s. In the current climate of mass incarceration and attacks on
women’s rights, what lessons can be learned from these publications
about feminist solidarity and resistance? In this talk, cultural
historian Dr Olivia Wright explores how the multi-racial,
anti-prison activism illustrated in these periodicals highlighted
the experiences of incarcerated women and provided a blueprint for
the abolition feminism that we see today.
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Thursday 21 March, wine
reception 5.30pm, talk starts 6pm, Leeds Central Library
The interwar-era woman in Britain and Spain navigated
life with greater independence and autonomy than previous
generations. Her behaviour, morals and desires were indulged by
magazines, some of which included romance fiction. These juicy
tales of seduction, dating, unfaithfulness (and even murder!)
encouraged and guided her in her "modern" adventure.
At the time many thought these stories frivolous and
forgettable. But, as University of Leeds PhD researchers Sophie
Turbutt and Rachel Bogush will explore in this talk, one man's
"trash" might actually be a historian's treasure.
After the talk there will be a chance to chat to the
speakers, and get up close to some original copies of popular
romance stories dating back to the interwar period.
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Drop in and Draw: International Women’s Day Special
Thursday 7 March, 12.30pm, Art
Library, Leeds Central Library
Explore the vibrant world of feminist and women's art
with our specially curated Art Library reading list and book display.
From ground-breaking pioneers to contemporary
visionaries, discover the stories, techniques, and inspirations that
have shaped the artistic landscape, whilst enjoying the peace and
tranquillity of our Drawing Room on your lunch break!
This is a free, untutored session with no need to book.
Materials and drinks are available to buy from the Art Library or
you’re welcome to bring your own.
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Wednesday 27 March, 5.30pm, Art
Library, Leeds Central Library
This month we have a special edition of our Zine
Library Lates, including displays from our special collections,
lots of craft activities and a DJ!
We have lots of new zines to share and we’d love your
zine donations too! Our Zine Library is a space for open access to
zines that reflect the huge diversity of Leeds and covers a
magnitude of topics.
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Books
 Women and
Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard
Acclaimed classicist Mary Beard presents a
revolutionary manifesto for our time, exploring women in power from
Medusa to Merkel and presenting a new feminist roadmap.
Hard-hitting, unapologetic and wise.
Beard explores the cultural underpinnings of misogyny,
considering the public voice of women, our cultural assumptions
about women's relationship with power, and how powerful women
resist being packaged into a male template.
With personal reflections on her own experiences of
the sexism and gendered aggression she has endured online, Mary
asks: if women aren't perceived to be within the structures of
power, isn't it power that we need to redefine?
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 The Burning
by Laura Bates
Fire is like a rumour. You might think you've
extinguished it but one creeping, red tendril, one single wisp of
smoke is enough to let it leap back into life again. Especially if
someone is watching, waiting to fan the flames...
There's nothing to trace Anna back to her old life.
Nothing to link her to the 'incident'.
At least that's what she thinks... until the whispers
start up again. As time begins to run out on her secrets, Anna
finds herself irresistibly drawn to the tale of Maggie, a local
girl accused of witchcraft centuries earlier. A girl whose story
has terrifying parallels to Anna's own...
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 She is
Fierce by Ana Sampson
A stunning gift book containing 150 bold, brave and
beautiful poems by women – from classic, well loved poets to
innovative and bold modern voices. From suffragettes to school
girls, from spoken word superstars to civil rights activists, from
aristocratic ladies to kitchen maids, these are voices that deserve
to be heard.
Collected by anthologist Ana Sampson, She is Fierce contains an
inclusive array of voices, from modern and contemporary poets.
Immerse yourself in poems from Maya Angelou, Nikita Gill, Wendy
Cope, Ysra Daley-Ward, Emily Bronte, Carol Ann Duffy, Fleur Adcock,
Liz Berry, Jackie Kay, Hollie McNish, Imtiaz Dharker, Helen
Dunmore, Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Christina Rossetti, Margaret
Atwood and Dorothy Parker, to name but a few!
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Saturday 16 March, 1.00pm, Art
Library, Leeds Central Library
In this relaxing introductory workshop that's perfect
for beginners, textile artist Hayley will guide you through all the
basics of hand embroidery. Learn how to prepare your fabric for
embroidery and use different marking tools to draw your design.
Hayley will show you stitches like blanket stitch, chain stitch and
stem stitch to create a hand embroidered sample cloth.
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Looking for a good read? Not sure where to
start?
Ask for a Book is our online personalised book
recommendation service offering handpicked reading suggestions.
Choose a cover or theme based on a collection displayed on the screen
and our dedicated Book Picker will select a recommendation for
you!
You can now collect your selected books from Chapel
Allerton Library, Morley Library & Community Hub and Pudsey
Library & Community Hub, as well as Leeds Central Library.
Our new and improved website, made possible by funding
from the British Library and Arts Council England, launched at the
beginning of this year.
We now have a dedicated area for events, so you can find
out what's happening in our libraries across Leeds, and a news
section where we'll share what we've been up to lately. You'll find
details for individual libraries, links to our catalogue for searching,
reserving and renewing books, details of our eBooks, eAudio,
eMagazines and newspapers and all sorts of useful information.
 Conversation
Club
Every Wednesday in March, 10.30-11.30am, at Halton
Library
An informal and friendly opportunity to chat, improve
your English and get to know people over a cup of tea or coffee.
Join the library for free, use the wi-fi, loan books,
ebooks, play board games, access information about Leeds services
and more, in a warm inclusive space.
Free, no need to book, just drop in.
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Got creative skills and think you’d like to make some
money using them? Need some support to get started? We’ve got just
the thing!
On Friday 15 and Saturday 16 March, Leeds BIPC are
running a two-day workshop for people just like you! We’ll have
expert speakers to help you with things you need to know to succeed
as a maker, creator, or crafter, with topics including pricing your
products, taking photos of your creations, and boosting your online
presence.
If this sounds like the thing for you, book your free
place and let us help you on your journey.
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Give a Hoot! Make an Owl
MindWell
is inviting everyone to take part in their Give a Hoot! campaign, a
chance for everyone to get creative, make an owl and share their
hopes, dreams and expectations for the future of Leeds.
All owls will be placed on display at Leeds City Museum
during Mental Health Awareness Week from 13 to 19 May 2024.
If you’re part of a group, you could organise a creative
owl-making session or join in from home. Owls can be dropped off at
participating libraries across the city, or sent in by post, email or
via social media. You’ll find all the details you need, including
instructions on how to create an origami owl in the Give a Hoot! campaign
pack.
MindWell also plans to hold a series of free origami
workshops, which will be advertised on the online
campaign page, so look out for these.
Please join them on Twitter @MindWellLeeds
and help spread the word using #GiveAHoot!.
MindWell is the go-to online source for adult mental
health and wellbeing support in Leeds. For more creative activities,
advice about how to stay well and information to support your mental
wellbeing visit: www.mindwell-leeds.org.uk/get-creative
Find out more
Did you know we have 3 further library newsletters,
where you can find out more about family friendly activities, local
history and books and reading? Sign up here:
Thank you for reading our latest
newsletter. We look forward to welcoming you soon - get in touch or find your
local library
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