Free wine? On a Monday?!

Just in case you missed this on the Library website or have not seen the posters…

 

                                           

To celebrate National Crime Writing Month 2013, on Monday 17th June at Jubilee Library, Peter James will be reading from his new novel Dead Man’s Time, the ninth novel in the multi-million copy bestselling Roy Grace series.

 

He will be joined by Seth Patrick whose debut novel Reviver, an urban noir horror with crossover appeal that was written and inspired by a writing course run by Peter James.

 

There will be question and answer and book signing sessions.

 

Tickets are limited to 70 and can be booked at any Brighton and Hove Library,

£5 ( £4 Concession ) and include a free glass of wine or soft drink.

 

Doors open at 5.45 for 6pm start, the event will finish by 7.30pm and will be held at Jubilee Library’s Conference Hall.

Computer help

Do you need help with using computers to be able to email your friends and family across the world? Sign up and use social media sites like facebook and twitter, or just fancy knowing how to fill in forms and pay your bills online? Then council connect sessions could be just the thing for you or someone you know.

The sessions are on a 1-2-1 basis that lasts for 45 minutes with a volunteer who can help you get a bit more used to using a computer and getting online, we offer up to ten sessions per person but a volunteer can help you decide if you would benefit from more than one session.

Our volunteers are currently available at the following libraries on the days and times listed below.

Library	Day and time
Hove Library	Monday 2-5pm
Hangleton Library	Wednesday 2-5pm
Portslade Library	Tuesday 10am-1pm
Jubilee Library	Wednesday 10am-5pm
Moulsecoomb Library	Friday 2-5pm
Westdene Library	Saturday 10am-1pm
Whitehawk Library	Saturday 10am-1pm

If you would like any further information or would like to book a session please phone Jubilee Library on 01273 290800, or just pop into your local Brighton and Hove library.

Lyndsay Pincott – Library Officer

World Book Night – Not just for one night

Brighton & Hove 2013 World Book Night was more of a late-afternoon-early-evening affair, but was enjoyed by more than 100 people at the events and quizzes at Jubilee Library and staff members Sally Gilbanks-Sowden and Allan Winter took to the streets to gift hundreds of free books around the city. A few people had seen the news item on BBC Breakfast in the morning and were delighted to receive a brand new book and to talk about great reads and libraries in general.

 

On Boundary Road in Portslade, one single Mum with two small children had never been to a Library before and was very excited to hear about Baby Boogie and the affordable or free activities that are on offer. She took “Me before you” by Jojo Moyes and she and her two children are going to join the library this week. One older lady took a copy of “Red Dust Road” by Jackie Kay and was excited to know about Council Connect/Silver Surfers. She has wanted to email her grandson in Australia and when Sally and Allan explained we could help her set up an email account and show her how to use it she was elated and said this had been a great day for her.

At Jubilee Library, local poet Paul Stones spoke eloquently about what to do with bad books – his suggestion that we irreverently burn books that offend us or throw boring books on the floor was surely sacrilegious considering the venue (!) but his controversial remarks were made with great humour and charm and provoked a lively debate with his audience. Local authors also spoke, on the tricks used in first paragraphs, and on why reading difficult books, or trying a graphic novel for a change is good for your brain – studies show more parts of your brain ‘light up’ reading more challenging books and keep you healthier longer! And finally, after weeks of secrecy and suspense, the title of this year’s Cityreads book was announced, with a treasure hunt and a quick sample of reading aloud in a group. We can look forward to Terry Pratchett coming to Brighton later in the year – look out for the program of events that will surround the Cityread “Guards! Guards!”

And remember, the commitment to spreading a passion for reading doesn’t just last for one night; you can become a reading ambassador all year round. If you love reading, you know what a sublime experience it can be, how much pleasure you can get from the story, how bereft you can feel when it’s over and how much richer you can be from the experiences you’ve read about. Being a reading ambassador means nothing more than helping to spread your love of reading as widely as possible. And there are a few simple things you can do to help.

 

• Share the reading experience

 

• We all know people who, for whatever reason, have fallen out of the habit of reading (or never got into it in the first place). Give them your favourite book (or one you think they’d really love) and tell them what it means to you with a no pressure suggestion that they might like to give it a go.

   

  • Give more books

  Books make great gifts, and not just at Christmas. Giving someone a book can mean so much more than giving a pair of socks, or a scarf. You can choose your favourite novel, the latest cookbook by their favourite chef, a guide to far flung places or just something to make them smile. And books don’t just have to be for special occasions. Why not take a book instead of chocolates, flowers or wine next time you’re going to someone’s house for dinner?

   

  • Join your local library

  Libraries lend free books! Visit your local library, join and start borrowing books and you’ll be helping to keep them open. We’ve also got loads of resources for helping you start your own book group or your own read aloud group- just get in touch. Sharing books within your community is greener, and you’ll find just as much inspiration for new reading adventures in your library as you would in a good book shop.

   

  • Support your local bookshop

  That said, good local bookshops are amazing places, treasure troves full of undiscovered gems with knowledgeable staff. But, like many local shops and services, they’re under pressure from rising costs, supermarkets and the internet. Without them communities are poorer and high streets bleaker, so if you love books support your local bookshop too: explore their corners, buy something you wouldn’t normally read but might just love, attend an event and spread the word about how great they are.

• 

Susy Baker – Library Officer.

Why do we give away so many books on World Book Night?

A cynic might reply that the annual million book giveaway on World Book Night is nothing but an elaborate marketing ploy. To some extent they’d be right, but writing as someone who has given books to strangers for the last 2 years I can say it’s much much more than that. Yann Martel, author “Life of PI” said “To be given a book is like being given a ship: you become a Christopher Columbus and there’s no saying what you’ll find across the ocean”

 

This is me and a colleague book giving in 2011

I’m an avid reader and have been since I was small. Lots of books I just read and forget but some, when they’ve made a real impression, I treasure the name of the author and wait for the next thing they publish, or go back through their complete works. But I find it incredibly difficult to recommend books when I’m asked. Even the act of telling someone your favourite book can be a surprisingly intimate thing to do, like admitting a secret crush on someone embarrassing. I know people who refuse to acknowledge a single favourite, others for whom it changes with their mood or the weather and some whose mind just goes blank when put on the spot. Finding that you share a favourite book or enjoy the same genre of books can seal a friendship – it’s a special thing to have in common and recommending or passing on books can be an ongoing ‘conversation’ especially if you don’t see that friend often – leaving a book with them lasts.

The act of giving lies very much at the heart of World Book Night. The WBN website credits the book ‘The Gift: how the creative spirit transforms the world’ by Lewis Hyde as the inspiration for the million book giveaway. Apparently, we should “read it, let it re-set the way you think and give it to everyone you know who cares about creativity, art, imagination and the exchanges we have every day that transcend commoditisation.” It was that line about transcending commoditisation that caught my eye, because that exactly mirrors the work libraries do. We buy the books and share them within our community, many people will read the same copy of a book without any financial exchange. It’s an increasingly rare method of transaction. One might almost forget that there were ever reasons other than ‘for the money’ for doing things but that’s a library’s USP! It’s free to read the books!

One of the main objectives of book giving is to ensure that the WBN books reach non or light readers. Givers are chosen first based on their commitment to give books to non or light readers and then the answers to the questions of where, why, and location are taken in to account. This means that rather than talking to a friend, when you give WBN books, you mostly interact with a stranger. We all know how lovely it is to receive gifts (especially when they’re a complete surprise, given for no reason whatsoever other than the joy of giving) and we’ve all experienced the pleasure of giving something that really means something to the recipient. When giving books to strangers the initial reaction can vary from disbelief to suspicion, but invariably, when they realise it’s a genuine gift, and that you picked them because you wanted to share something special – they smile! You both go your separate ways with a warm glow and the knowledge that they will pass on the story of your meeting and maybe the book.

Also, April 23^rd is a special day. It’s (probably) Shakespeare’s birthday and literary giants Shakespeare and Cervantes both died on April 23 1616. In their honour, the day was chosen as UNESCO International Day of the Book.

It’s also St George’s Day. St George is the patron saint of England, but also of Catalonia in Spain. There, people exchange “a rose for love and a book forever” to celebrate the day – a custom we should bring over here in my opinion! Library staff around the city will be taking to the streets to hand out books, so keep an eye out, or watch for tweets. (#BrightonWBN)

So yes, it’s a marketing ploy, we want you to visit the library more and to read more books; but we also want you to tell your friends all about it. Share what you enjoy. If you discover something in your private inner world something that transcends the every day or just makes you laugh! tell your friends about that – it truly is a gift… or next year signup to be a book giver and tell a perfect stranger!

Susy Baker – Library Officer.

For World Book Night, a story about giving away 100 books and the love letter (and guilt free threesome!) that went with them

 

Michelle Varney, was a book giver in 2012 and gave away ‘The Player of Games’ by Iain M Banks. She writes:

 

“I had a lovely and exhilarating – if exhausting – time chasing after people at a cinema, trying to thrust a copy of ‘The Player of Games’ into hands. I did a radio interview in the days before and managed to rope in a publisher who gave away a couple of dozen of their soon-to-be-published books and persuaded a historical author (Elizabeth Chadwick) to come along too. She gave away about twenty or so of her books, lovingly inscribed in celebration of WBN and signed by her.

 

I made up over a hundred book marks with the following love-letter to literature upon them and put one in each and every book. So, all in all, 100 or more people got a free book.”

 

How can you not love a book?

 

It goes everywhere and yet is always by your side. It holds you close through the dark times and soars with you when your heart is up in the clouds. It makes you laugh just in remembrance of it and yet the taste can be as wormwood. You can meet books more vivid than your wildest imagination, you can meet your most feared, most beloved and encounter those that are mad, bad and dangerous to know. You can pick up books you wouldn’t take home to Mother, ones that will shock the Vicar, those that keep children spellbound and ones you and your Granny can talk about for hours. You will meet your soulmate, your enemy and your hero. Books will accompany you down the road to the pub, that long journey up North to Aunty Winifred’s or halfway across South America to find yourself. They have been taken to the bottom of the sea, to the North and South poles and are circling the planet as you read this.

 

Take three of them to bed – they won’t care and they’ll still respect you in the morning. Nothing loves you like a book.

 

 World Book Night is on 23^rd April 2013. Join us at Jubilee library 4-7 pm

 

Our events are free and no booking is required. See the website for more details and follow us on Twitter @BHLibraries on Tues 23 April to find out where staff and book givers are gifting this year’s titles…

 

Susy Baker – Library Officer.

…And this years City Reads book will be….

         

…Find out at World Book Night at Jubilee Library April 23^rd!

 

Sarah Hutchings will reveal the title of this years City Reads book between 6 and 6.45pm as part of this years World Book Night Celebrations. Sarah is the Director of the CIC that coordinates the annual City Reads festivities.

 

If you haven’t heard of City Reads yet, the concept is simple: select one book by one author for the whole community to read, discuss, debate and creatively engage with in a series of special events, workshops and performances. City Reads has been spreading the love of reading in Brighton and Hove since 2005.

 

Last year’s book was ‘My Policeman’ by Bethan Roberts. Be the first to know the title of this year’s book and find out how you can get involved this year. Enjoy a Read Aloud taster session, and take part in a competition to win a copy! For more information about City Reads, please visit http://cityreads.co.uk/.

 

For information about the other events happening at Jubilee Library on World Book Night see the website and follow us on Twitter @BHLibraries on the day to find out where staff and book givers are gifting this year’s WBN titles  #BrightonWBN

“City Reads is unique because it’s run with a wonderful sense of imagination. I wish there was something like it in the city I live in

Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief

 

 

Susy Baker – Library Officer.

Are you coming to World Book Night at Jubilee Library?

If so, make sure you book an appointment with the book doctor – she’ll be providing bibliotherapy for the evening. Feeling unsure? Read on for more about this extraordinary talent.

 

Who is the Book Doctor?

The Book Doctor is author, (Capers in the Sauce,

Stargazy Pie, Cupboard Love) playwright, (BBC Radio 4:

The Beach Hut, Blackout) book PR, foodie and Brighton

resident Laura Lockington.

“I have always read voraciously, and adore recommending books to friends. Book doctoring all started from that.

Years ago, I gave a friend for a ‘significant’ birthday the

present of a book a month delivered to her. She so

loved all of them (and admitted that none of them were

books that she would normally have chosen for herself)

and was so delighted that she told a lot of her friends.

It’s snowballed from that!”

We all get buffeted by life – and sometimes, the right

book at the right time helps us to know that we are not

alone. I really do believe that books can change lives.

 

Who is it for?

Everyone! We can all get stuck in a rut with our

reading. It’s easy to rely on the familiar. It’s easy to

pick up the best sellers. But there are hundreds of

amazing books out there, some published some time

ago, some forgotten and some just unfamiliar that are

wonderful reads that transport us to different times and places that deserve to be

read. Sometimes a book can jog a memory and take us immediately back to that

time. it’s finding that moment and holding on to it.

 

How does it work?

I see everyone on a one to one basis, discuss their reading habits, find out a bit about

them and then tailor a ‘prescription’ of at least three book titles that I think they

would enjoy. I usually allow 15 minutes for this (if I am seeing quite a few people). I

can also do a more in depth discussion, but this of course takes longer. It really

depends on the amount of people that I have to see. Happy to accommodate all

requests!

World Book Night is on 23^rd April 2013. Join us at Jubilee library 4-7 pm

All our events are free and you can make a book doctor’s appointment on the night. See the website for more details and follow us on Twitter @BHLibraries on Tues 23 April to find out where staff and book givers are gifting this year’s titles #BrightonWBN

Susy Baker – Library Officer.

What’s happening at Jubilee Library on World Book Night?

World Book Night is a big deal here in Brighton & Hove Libraries- we’re passionate about books and reading and this night is a great excuse to really push the boat out and share this passion with you.

Join us between 4 and 7pm April 23rd and:

• Receive a personal reading prescription from the Book Doctor Laura Lockington, the bibliotherapy surgery is open all evening from 4.30pm.

• Meet and discuss ‘Famous First Words’ with authors Araminta Hall and Lizzie Enfield between 4.30 and 5.15pm. They’ll be discussing the importance of opening paragraphs of novels and how much authors from Dickens and Austen to DBC Pierre, Monica Lewycka and Stephen King pack into their famous first words. Then enter the quiz to test your knowledge and win fantastic book prizes.

• Get top tips on how to pick and read the perfect book for you with ‘How to read a book’ 5.15 to 6pm. Comics artist Nye Wright and novelist Nina de la Mer join forces to discuss the perils and pleasures of pushing narrative boundaries and celebrate their own favourite ‘difficult’ books. With an audience Q&A session.

• Be one of the first to know the title of this year’s City Read book.

• Find a book giver amongst the shelves gifting one of this year’s titles.

There’s more details on our website and we’ll be tweeting about book gifting through the evening @BHLibraries #BrightonWBN

Susy Baker – Library Officer.

The wheels on the bus keep on going around

Good news, funding for Dad’s Baby Boogie has been found for another year, April 2013 – March 2014.

Baby Boogie offers free music and rhyme sessions for babies, pre-school children and their parents and carers.

 If you want to come along, it will be on the second Saturday of the month at Jubilee library from 10.15 – 10.45 am.

Baby Boogie CDs

Baby Boogie CDs are now on sale in all Brighton & Hove City Libraries. The CD is a live recording of Baby Boogie songs and rhymes and comes with a booklet containing the song words.

Baby Boogie CD and booklet and Dad’s Baby Boogie CD and booklet are available from all libraries priced £4

For further information please call 01273 296981 or email libraries@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Next Dad’s Baby Boogie is Saturday 13 April.

Viva la France! French study sessions at libraries!

Celine, a librarian from France, will be coming to do French sessions at study support sessions in the next two weeks. She will be there to help with language practice & French homework.

The French sessions will be on:

*March 11th & 18th at ‘We Love Mondays’ at Hove library, 3.30-5.
*Tuesday 12th March at Whitehawk library, 3.30-5.
*Thursday 14th & 21st March at ‘We Love Thursdays’ at Jubilee library, 5.30-7.

‘We Love Mondays’ is for 13-19 year olds at Hove library, in the Young People’s Area.
Whitehawk homework club is for 9-16 year olds at Whitehawk library, in the Young People’s Area.
‘We Love Thursdays’ is for 13-19 year olds at Jubilee library, in the Young People’s Area.

For more study support session information please go to www.citylibraries.info and look at ‘Homework Club’.

Homework clubs run every week during term time & dedicated staff are there to help you with your studies, you can have free access to printing & photocopying & it’s a great way to meet new people. There are always other activities to do too, if you’ve no homework.

Please come along in the next two weeks for some fun French practice & conversation, we look forward to seeing you there!

—-

Gemma Price – Study Support Worker