Library Adventures at Kirklees libraries

 Here is the latest newsletter:

Family newsletter: non-fiction November, Library Adventures on the move, grow a generation of readers campaign and much more!

 

 

Newsletter Edition: November 2024 Library Adventures Exciting news - Library Adventures is on the move again! Our fabulous themed books, crafts and activities are changing libraries. Ask for your awesome bookmark for completing your sticker page and get ready to start collecting your stunning new stickers. Animal Planet is coming to Birkby and Fartown, Chestnut Centre, Huddersfield and Lindley Libraries Magical Lands will be enchanting Denby Dale, Kirkburton, Shepley and Skelmanthorpe Libraries Oceans is diving into Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike Libraries Rainforests are on the way to Holmfirth, Honley, Marsden and Meltham Libraries Space Explorer is landing at Almondbury, Golcar, Rawthorpe Dalton and Slaithwaite  Spooky will be haunting Dewsbury, Kirkheaton, Mirfield and Ravensthorpe (Greenwood Centre) If you've not started your Library Adventure yet, just ask for your free adventurer pack at your library and start the fun. Find out more about Library Adventures Non-fiction November We are delighted to celebrate Non-Fiction November. This summer we had a huge increase in the numbers of children's non-fiction books being borrowed from our libraries. We can see that the children of Kirklees enjoy information books! The National Literacy Trust found that children and young people who read non-fiction were motivated to read for educational purposes, to satisfy curiosities, to foster social connections and to support their mental wellbeing. What better time to share the UKLA 2025 longlist: a wealth of wonderful reads, for children and young people (and adults too!) Find out more about the UKLA book awards Enter the non-fiction November competition from the Federation of Children's Book Groups, inviting children aged 5-12 to create a short advert for their hobby. Grow a Generation of Readers This week the National Literacy Trust has reported that reading enjoyment among children and young people has plummeted to its lowest level in almost two decades.  When children and young people enjoy reading, their reading skills, aptitude for learning, wellbeing, empathy and confidence all benefit.  So what can we do? Choice is the key to children reading for pleasure and that's where LIBRARIES come into it. When children can access a wide range of books and are supported to feel confident to choose what they read, they may choose to read over other activities. Library staff who generate enthusiasm around reading for pleasure enable children to go on a reading adventure. Grow your child's love of reading with us at one of our libraries. Read more about the National Literacy Trust's research and Grow a Generation of Readers Campaign. UK Disability History Month UK Disability History Month is 14th November to 20th December 2024 and we've chosen to highlight a selection of fabulous children's books featuring disabled characters chosen by author Laura Noakes. There are many more inspiring books to discover featuring disabled characters as heroes of their stories now, more children are able to see themselves represented and readers are able to increase their awareness of a huge variety of disabilities through the pages of a book. Disabled characters are becoming increasingly visible – even if their disability is invisible. Read the full article by Laura Noakes and find out more about her recommended reads.       Reading for Remembrance Last Sunday was Remembrance Day, a time for learning and reflection. Over the years, Barrington Stoke has worked with authors to publish stories designed to help young readers understand the history of this important day. You can find many of these super-readable, dyslexia-friendly books in our libraries. Follow this link to check availability and have a book delivered to the library of your choosing. Inter Faith Week - Sunday 10-17 November Here's a selection of children's books to celebrate Inter Faith week and support its aims: Interfaith Week Sunday 10th November - Sunday 17th November Children's titles | Kirklees Council (syndetics.com) The three aims of the Week are: Strengthening good inter faith relations at all levels Increasing awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society Increasing understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs Find out more about Inter Faith Week Uniform Exchange Kirklees Libraries play a crucial community role for Uniform Exchange … and have done so for more than 10 years. Uniform Exchange founder and project director Kate France said: “We wouldn’t have set up in the first place without the help of Kirklees libraries and couldn’t have run the charity without their support. People can donate school uniform there and once it’s been sorted and cleaned at Uniform Exchange the bags of uniform go back out to the libraries for collection by people who have requested it." Kate added: “It just shows what can be achieved with charities and libraries working together for the good of the communities they both serve. Library staff are brilliant – we have some great ambassadors for Uniform Exchange among them – and so committed to helping people to make sure they get what they need. Some even help them fill out request forms. Find out more about how to support Uniform Exchange's Winter Coat Appeal 2024.   Author of the Month Elena Arévalo Melville is an award-winning Latin American author and illustrator of children's books.  Her work deals with themes of belonging, community, empathy, identity and resilience. Her picture book Umbrella won the inaugural Queen’s Knickers Award, was endorsed by Amnesty International, nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal, and is a White Raven book. Elki is not my Dog, which she wrote and is illustrated by Tonka Uzu, was announced as a Carnegie nominee this month.  We had the pleasure of joining Elena in a fabulous virtual event with a local school this month. Look for Elena's books to borrow from our libraries. Try a trip to... Huddersfield Customers are happy with the new layout at Huddersfield Library and tell us it has a more welcoming atmosphere. Why not see for yourself and on Saturday 30th November, combine a trip to Huddersfield Library in Civic Centre 3 with some free family fun at the 2024 Christmas market?  The town centre will be filled with local musicians, attractions, live reindeer, seasonally themed workshops and walkabout acts, and Christmas markets with gifts, food and drinks. Activities will be free for all, including live music stages, Santa’s Grotto, photo booths and snowboard and reindeer rodeo. Find out more about the 2024 Christmas celebrations in Huddersfield and Dewsbury   Borrow eAudio / eBooks We have over 29,000 eAudio and eBook titles. Borrow them for free with your Kirklees library card and pin. The Libby app is committed to making reading enjoyable and accessible for everyone, including those with dyslexia. In Libby, there’s an option to choose the OpenDyslexic font, a specially designed typeface that some find improves readability. The letters have a weighted, slightly more structured design that may make it easier to distinguish similar characters, reducing the likelihood of mixing up letters. Find out more at Libby Life tips and tricks. View the collection along with details of how to download and use the Libby app via our Overdrive page at: kirklees.overdrive.com PressReader: Digital Magazines and Newspapers Our digital magazine and newspaper service can now be accessed from within the Libby app. Select the Pressreader icon from within Libby and follow the on-screen instructions. Our collection of over 7,300 national and international titles available to read online or download includes magazines and newspapers written for children! You have complimentary access with your Kirklees library card and PIN for 30 days before you have to sign in again. For more details, along with details of the text-to-speech and instant translation options, see our PressReader catalogue at: www.pressreader.com   Our Opening Times and Social Stories The addresses and opening times of all our libraries can be found on our website at: Locations and opening times | Kirklees Council We also have Social Stories for each library, which let you have a visual tour of the different buildings before visiting. These Social Stories are ideal for people with Autism or Anxiety and can be found in the opening times section for each library, under the "We are going to..." heading at the top.

---