Tuesday 25 September 2012

Tea dance at Halton Lea library


Come along to Halton Lea library for an afternoon of music and dancing (line and sequence). Complimentary tea and scones will be served. Come with or without a partner!

The event takes place on Friday 5 October 2 to 4pm. Places are limited so booking is essential.  Please email Sally or phone 0151 511 7744 to reserve your place.  We're sorry but admission will not be granted without a ticket.

'Make and Take' at Halton Lea library


Artists from Hazlehurst’s Studios in Runcorn will be hosting an afternoon of printing using a mixture of wooden blocks and cardboard reliefs to create unique booklets or cards. No experience needed – come along and have a go! Complimentary tea and scones will be provided.

The event takes place on Thursday 4 October 1 to 3pm at Halton lea library.  Places are limited so booking is essential. Please email Sally or phone 0151 511 7744 to reserve your place.

Open day at Halton Lea library


To celebrate UK Older People's Day, Halton Lea library is offering people over 55 the chance to come along and find out what the library can offer them.

Free activities will include calligraphy, card making and IT taster sessions. Staff will be on hand to join new members, give library tours and provide information about the many services the library can offer including IT lessons, reading groups and more. Staff from Age UK, Alzheimer's Society and NHS Open Mind will all be available to answer your questions.

The event takes place on Wednesday 3 October 1 to 3 pm.  All customers aged 55 or over who are in the building then will receive a voucher for a free hot drink which can be redeemed in the Starbucks coffee bar.

Monday 24 September 2012

Perfect Places


Halton Libraries are taking part in a poetry promotion called ‘Perfect Places : Your library-your perfect place for poetry’ that is running in North West Public Libraries during autumn 2012.  12 poems inspired by the NW region and written by poets living and working in the NW have been selected for the promotion and are available in postcard format from your local library.  As part of this promotion poet Eleanor Rees will be reading a specially commissioned poem (and from her other works) to commemorate the opening of Runcorn Library on National Poetry Day 4th October at Runcorn Library from 7pm

Eleanor Rees was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside in 1978. Her pamphlet collection Feeding Fire received an Eric Gregory Award in 2002 and her first full length collection 'Andraste’s Hair' (Salt, 2007) was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection and the Glen Dimplex New Writers Awards. Her second collection ‘Eliza and the Bear’ (Salt, 2009) is also a live performance for voice and harp which has toured in the North West. Rees works in the community as a poet and is also studying for an AHRC funded PhD University of Exeter in the theory and practice of the local poet. She often collaborates with other writers, musicians and artists and works to commission. She lives in Liverpool. 

Tuesday 11 September 2012


Pinterest sparked in Halton's Libraries


Halton Libraries Pinterest page

Halton Borough Council's Library Service has launched a Pinterest site - to share images of event and projects - in line with it's reputation at being at the forefront of digital media.
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows users to post images to share with others.
Halton Libraries will use it to mostly promote books and reading; with boards for new books, upcoming books it plans to buy and books in promotions like the current Halton Reading Families.


Users on Pinterest can browse other pinboards for inspiration, 're-pin' images to their own collections or 'like' photos. Pinterest's mission is to "connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting" via a global platform of inspiration and idea sharing.

You can already follow Halton Borough Council's libraries on Twitter and Facebook.

Thursday 6 September 2012

3rd Eye Paranormal Investigations – Sceptics v Believers


Join 3rd Eye Paranormal Investigations (from Sky Channel showcase 201) at Widnes Library for an evening of debate and discussion about the paranormal and the chance for 2 people from the audience to join the team on one of their future televised investigations 
3rd Eye Investigators include sceptics, believers and a medium who will put forward their arguments for the existence, or not, of the paranormal and will be sharing some of their own experiences.

The team will be showing some of their footage captured on past investigations including their latest, shot at Bodelwyddan Castle that recently shown on SKY and now available on DVD.

The event is at Widnes Library on 20th September from 7 to 9pm.  It's free  and no booking is required.

Wednesday 5 September 2012


Halton's Reading Families - The Smith Family


Charlotte
Two beautiful reviews from Charlotte aged 7 who, with her Mum, is taking part in our Reading Families project.  We think they are wonderful. Thank you Charlotte :)

The Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen and Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

I like this book because it has a lion that visit’s the library. How the lion likes to listen to the stories at the library with the children, and that they like to cuddle the lion, especially when he is sad. The lion has feelings just like us.

I like the pictures as they look like they have just been drawn. I like the way the lion is drawn big and cuddly, and the way he is shown roaring. I like the colours, especially on the books, and how the lions tongue is drawn where he licks the stamps.

Every library should have a lion.



The Minpins by Roald Dahl and Illustrated by Patrick Benson

I like this book because of the small minpins that live in the trees and fly on birds.  I don’t like the gruncher that breaths fire and is scary.  He tries to eat the little boy and the minpins.  I like the swan that Billy flies on.

I like the way the pictures show the dark and light between the forest and where Billy’s house is.  How it shows how small the minpins’ rooms are in the trees, and all the pretty birds.  Even though I don’t like the gruncher I like the way the smoke and fire hides him in the trees.

I’m glad the gruncher doesn’t live in the woods any more.




Halton's Reading Families - The Smith Family

Here are the latest reviews from our Reading Families

Tracy’s Book Reviews

Tracey

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose

The author put a lot of sensitivity and thought into the narration of a complex living story of a company of men that truly became a ‘band of brothers’; that had so much to tell and gave so much.

The emotion, passion and camaraderie that brought these men together is told with such sensitivity and understanding that you truly feel a part of them.  You feel for them; the horror of war, the loss, resentment and fear.  It showed them to be very brave men indeed.

A piece in the book, left out of the film, tells the story of a Fritz Niland.  His story looked to be the basis of the film Saving Private Ryan.  How Fritz lost 3 brothers in the war and was sent home by the army to his mother.

This book is interesting, insightful and emotional living every minute of the battles and trials the men went through and how the lucky few survived.


Genesis by Karin Slaughter

From the start of this book the author draws you into the story and grips you with the horror of the opening scene; you are then hooked.

You are made to feel every emotion and fear of the characters as they discover the ‘house of torture’, and the journey of discovery and shock to catch the person practiced in the art of pain.

The scenes are set dramatically and you are then hit hard by a roller coaster ride of gripping narration that leaves you breathless and begging for more.  It is a read you’ll find hard to put down, like all of Karin’s books.



Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

I was recommended this book by a friend. I thought it wouldn't be my type of book.  How wrong I was.

This novel is a wonderful read about the life of a geisha from 1929 to the post-war years of Japan’s history.  It is sensitive, emotional and an engaging read that is both spellbinding and surprising.
It is a book you’ll want to read again and again as you are educated in the half-hidden world of formality, intimacy, exploitation and degradation in the geisha’s world.  How they achieve their beauty, etiquette and standing in society; and where it leads them. A truly fascinating read.






Halton's Reading Families

Andy Stamp from one of our Reading Families sent us this review of Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. 

"Mitch Albom tells the story of meeting up with his professor from college. His professor, Morrie, has been diagnosed with a fatal illness that is slowly making his body weaker. Morrie however is looking at the illness as a chance to live his life and look at everything he has and everything that is important. Tuesdays with Morrie was recommended by a colleague and is one of the most emotionally driven yet entertaining books I have ever read. 

Morrie is an incredible person, purely through the positives he uses looking at life and I have learnt so much in developing myself and my relationships through him.The book is written from Albom’s point of view and as the book progresses Mitch is learning and we as readers learn with him. 

The book is pleasant, dramatic, heart warming and thoughtful and I would recommend it to anyone"