RUNCORN is moving

Well, not the town – just the library.

On Saturday 21 April, we close the doors at our old library in Egerton St and move to our new premises in the market centre, Granville St.

It will take us a few days to move all our stock, so we hope you bear with us until Monday 30 April when we’ll be up and running again at the new library.

Our opening hours will be the same and we’re pleased to say that we’ve got new computers (and there’s more of them!) as well as free wi-fi and you'll be able to access the Halton Direct Link services. We’re also introducing self-serve machines where you can issue and return your own books as well as manage your library account. Don’t worry ‘though, the old familiar faces will be there to help.

As we’re going to be a bit busy with the move, we’ve decided to postpone the celebratory launch until a bit later in the year - we’ll let you know when. Until then though, it’s full steam ahead for the opening on Monday 30 April.

YouTube Book Reviews Workshop at Halton Lea library

Come along to our workshop and have a go at creating your own book reviews to post on YouTube. Expert, Carl Loughlin-Ravenscroft will be here to show you how. You can have a look at some of Carl's videos here.

It’s at Halton Lea library on Thursday 5 April between 12.30pm and 3.00pm. Don’t forget to bring a review of your favourite book.

The event is part of the Young Voices project for young volunteers in libraries and it’s suitable for people aged from 11 to 19.

Halton Lodge Children's Centre visits its local library

A group of children from Halton Lodge Children's Centre visited Halton Lea library this morning.

Children, staff and carers joined our librarian Maria and enjoyed reading, songs, stories and an egg hunt - finding eggs and creatures that come out of eggs.

The children were great singers and listeners. Some of them joined the library and borrowed their first library books today.

Grandpa Joe at Halton Lea library 5 April

Join us for a morning of storytelling with cult YouTube superstar Grandpa Joe. For a taster, click here to experience his take on Little Red Riding Hood.

He will be appearing at Halton Lea library at 11am on Thursday 5 April., but please note that the event is not suitable for children under 8.

Ditton library is turning FIFTY!

Ditton libary is having it's fiftieth birthday this year. Can you believe it? Where does the time go? It opened in April 1962, the week Elvis Presley was top of the charts with Wooden Heart; Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space and Cuba's ‘Bay of Pigs’ took place.

If you have any memorabilia from that era including old photographs of the library and surrounding area we would like to borrow it for a number events taking place at Ditton Library in April. Photographs will be scanned in and given straight back. Please contact Helen Halliwell at Ditton Library: telephone 0151 424 2459 or helen.halliwell@halton.gov.uk

My Voice

Are you aged 11-19 years and looking for something fun, exciting and creative to do in your local community? Do you want to learn new skills and get work experience?

If so you might like to meet like-minded people who want to make a difference and get the opportunity to meet writers, musicians, artists and other creative people.

Libraries are working with groups of young people to plan, programme and promote MyVoice events.

Check our webpage. For more information, contact Allyson on allyson.watt@halton.gov.uk or telephone 01928 565973

Book Slam 2012

Halton Libraries in partnership with The Brindley presents Book Slam 2012. The event is suitable for all book lovers aged 12+.

For an afternoon of book related lively fun & conversation come along to our ‘Book Slam’ event. The day includes:
* book speed dating
* whose book am I?
* book quiz
* Halton 'Book of the Year'
* prizes
* an opportunity to join one of our reading groups

PLEASE BRING ALONG 2 BOOKS: your favourite in a bag with your name on AND a book you would recommend to someone.

When: Saturday 24 March 1-4pm
Where: The Brindley Studio – Tickets £3

Halton Libraries online reading group

If you like reading but can't manage to get to a book group, then why not join our online reading group? Halton Libraries online reading group is a chance to read and discuss books with other book lovers. We discuss one book a month so there's plenty of time to read up.

The reading group is run through the Goodreads web site and you will need to register to join the group. Each book we discuss has its own thread but please feel free to discuss anything to do with books, give recommendations or ask questions. It’s a public group so anyone can join and invite others to join.

Click here to read about how it works and click here to see our webpage.

Will you pledge 20 children's books?

Sharing books is an amazing and fun way to bond with your children. It builds strong and loving relationships, opens eyes, hearts and minds and stretches horizons. The routine of sharing books, stories, songs and rhymes helps to build pre-literacy skills. It also provides the excuse to find a special time and place for you to really bond with each other while you enjoy stories together.

Bookstart gives every child a flying start in life. Why not join HRH the Duchess of Cornwall as well as many celebrities and get involved in the Bookstart 20th year celebrations by making a simple pledge to share 20 books in 2012? Click here to see the Bookstart 20 wall and make your pledge.

An Evening of Ghost Stories with Kevin McCann at Widnes Library

Join award winning Poet & Storyteller Kevin McCann at Widnes library on Thursday 15 March at 7pm as he shares with us stories from his latest book, ‘It’s Gone Dark: Twenty two Ghost Stories’

“We all love a rattling good ghost story. Writers like M.R. James and Oliver Onions have cleverly exploited this innate fear in us all; often taking the everyday, even mundane and rendering it uncanny and terrifying with the simple introduction of a mysterious new layer.

Now it is the turn of writer, performer and poet, Kevin McCann with 22 tales of supernatural terror, originally written to be recited on that ghostly medium that is late night radio. Kevin originally performed the tales on Liverpool Radio City's Pete Price show and, such was the enthused reception from listeners, the author has re edited the stories and made them available as an anthology.

It's Gone Dark promises to be the first of a series of ghost story anthologies from Kevin McCann and the cult following the have so far gained is bound to spread beyond the airwaves of Liverpool. So start collecting them now.”