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.”

Photography exhibition at Widnes Friday 2 March

Colin Paul, a Runcorn based travel photographer is launching his new exhibition, 'Vibrant Viet Nam', at Widnes library on Friday 2nd March.
He first visited Vietnam in November 2009, when he spent five days in Hanoi on the back-end of a business trip to Malaysia.

Colin, a former lecturer, said: "I fell in love with the country, its history, culture and varied landscape, and most of all with its kind, smiling people.”

The set of photographs is a small part of his journey he experienced in August 2011. Prints from the exhibition are available for sale and all monies raised will be donated to the Charity – SENSE for deaf blind people and the exhibition will run until May.

Last year he won competition for taking a Halton Borough Council library book to the most interesting and inspiring place during the summer. Readers were urged to take part in Halton Borough Council's ‘Reading Places’ book promotion and enter the competition by filling out a postcard with their destination on it and returning it to the library. Colin took his 'Rough Guide to Vietnam' to the country and it proved an invaluable travel companion. He returned his postcard which told of his adventure travelling through Vietnam, and won the Reading Places competition. The contest was part of a campaign from North West Libraries Time to Read organisation.

KIPPER joins us for Rhymetime at Widnes library

Were you at Widnes library today to meet KIPPER the dog?

We hope so because all of the children enjoyed his visit very much. Our picture shows just some of the children who enjoyed the stories, singing and fun at the Rhymetime session that was held in the children's library at Widnes libary today.

BOOK SALE Ditton library 1 to 3 March

From time to time we take books off the shelves and offer them for sale at very reasonable prices - as low as 25p.

Our next book sale will take place at Ditton library from Thursday 1 March to Saturday 3 March.

Kipper on Tour

We have a very special guest coming to celebrate National Libraries Day. Kipper the lovable puppy will be visiting locations around the borough.

THURS 2ND FEB - Kipper will be on the mobile library and will visit Halebank preschool stop from 11 – 11:55 

FRI 3RD FEB - 11am - 12 Widnes Library Rhymetime

FRI 3RD FEB - 1 - 2.30 Halton Lodge Children's Centre

SAT 4TH FEB - 11am - 12 Halton Lea Library

Celebrating Dickens's 200th birthday at Halton Lea

2012 marks 200 years since the birth of Charles Dickens and Halton Libraries are celebrating the work of the great Victorian writer by showcasing a special collection of books relating to his life and works. The collection is at Halton Lea Library.

Click here to read more.