Pages Ago

Pages Ago is a new history promotion taking place in public libraries across North West England from May to November 2010. The promotion includes a varied range of author visits, readers’ days and events with a historical theme.

To promote reading Pages Ago has paired up fiction and non-fiction books to appeal to a wide range of readers. So, for example, Robert Harris’ foreboding thriller, Pompeii, is recommended alongside Simon Baker’s critically acclaimed, Ancient Rome, which explores the rise and fall of the first super power. Pages Ago would love to receive reviews on any of the promoted books or suggestions of other interesting pairings which could be included in the promotion.

Pages Ago also includes ‘Flashback Fiction’ a writing competition open to anyone living in the North West. Simply weave a historical tale of no more than 500 words and submit on-line at www.time-to-read.co.uk The winning entry from the region will receive £100. Budding younger writers can enter the under 16’s section to win book tokens. Local prizes will also be offered. A pick of the best entries will be published on the Time to Read website.

Read all about the launch in Liverpool at jane-time-to-read.blogspot.com

Fire Fighters in the Library

The day started with our rhymetime session but with a difference. This session was hosted with Carla Higgins from HLE library and FF Nick Bryson from our local Runcorn and Cheshire fire station. FF Nick visited HLE library with other FF members to highlight awareness of fire safety within the home. Runcorn and Cheshire FF’s visit many schools within the borough and run many projects such as RESPECT for teenagers as well as the Runcorn and Cheshire cadets and the Prince’s Trust project.

Visiting HLE is a significant integration initiative for both Library and Fire services to highlight what each service and resource provides.

The Rhymetime was a complete success; the children had a lovely time singing FF themed nursery rhymes and listening to ff books like Hugo the flying fireman and fireman sam. The children also enjoyed ff themed crafts and colouring in. FF Nick joined in with all the activities and answered any questions raised from the children.

The FF’s had a stand set up in the coffee bar for the day and gave advice to anyone with questions relating to fire safety, they also booked appointments to visit homes within the community and asses safety issues.

Two lectures were also held by the FF’s; the first was a prevention, detection and vulnerable people talk hosted by Steve Twigg who is the lead advocate for the FF service. The lecture highlighted things that are easily overlooked within the home that can become a danger to young and vulnerable people things like candles burning through acrylic baths (keep in candleholders or trays). Also materials such as oxygen in the home can have devastating impacts when mixed with flammable products, even products not considered flammable can become dangerous when combined with oxygen saturation. Steve also demonstrated Fire detectors used by people with hearing and visual difficulties called the Fire Angel. Overall this was a very interesting lecture and Steve received many enquiries as a result.

The second lecture was hosted by Kate Pope from Halton Borough Council’s environmental health department who discussed bonfires and the law both public and private. Kate also talked about the dangers of dark smoke and how to detect and report in to the department. Again another interesting lecture of great benefit to the public and FF’s.

The day lasted until 4pm with FF’s at the stand giving out valuable advice and fun FF freebies for children and informative leaflets for the public.

Children's services

Halton libraries is very proud to have possibly the world's youngest library member on it's books! Noel Harris, a janitor at Halton Lea library, signed his little grandson, Charlie Harris, up to the library services when he was just 8 hours old! In an article in The Liverpool Echo, Noel says 'My whole family understands the importance of reading and the earlier children get comfortable around books the better'.

We totally agree with what Noel says and have lots of events for little ones. 3 of our libraries hold Rhymetime events, a fun time for little tots to be read a story, sing songs and play games. Rhymetime is held at the following times:

Ditton Library - Every Wednesday, 10.30am to 11.30am
Halton Lea Library - Every Thursday, 10am to 11am
Widnes Library - Every Wednesday, 1.30pm to 2.30pm
 

Rhymetime is a free and fun time for kids from birth to 4 years to get involved in the library. For more info, visit the Rhymetime page on our website. We also work together with Bookstart to get children involved in the library from a very young age.
 

 
For older children, we have a great children's library area in each of our libraries, stocking the latest books for every age range. Visit our Children's Library page to find out before about the different services we can provide for children.

The TV book club

Last night saw the much awaited launch of The TV Book Club on More4. Brought to us by the woman behind the Richard & Judy Book Club, Amanda Ross, The TV Book Club is a weekly ten-part series that each week reviews a different book. If you missed the first show last night, you can still catch it on Channel 4 today at 12:05pm.

Yesterday's show covered The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, which is described as a 'A beautifully crafted post-war ghost story.' Over the next 10 weeks, The TV Book Club will cover books ranging from thrillers, non-fiction, humour and everything inbetween. For a full list and more details of the books that will be discussed, visit The TV Book Club website here. Of course, all the books are available through Halton Libraries. Drop into your local library to pick up a copy of any of the books, or reserve them online at the Halton Libraries website.

Our Reading Groups

We’ve got some great books for our Readings Groups to get stuck into this year. With novels from renowned authors like Carlos Ruiz Zafon as well as debuts such as The Rescue Man by Liverpool author Anthony Quinn there's something to appeal to everyone.

The groups are proving really popular and several are now full, however, you can add your name to the waiting list and we'll let you know when a place becomes available or a new group is started. Contact Trudy Jones to find out more.

Here’s a sneak preview of what we’ll be reading;

The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Set in Barcelona in the early 20th century this macabre Gothic novel centres on a young journalist whose talent leads him to become a successful novelist. Before long it turns into an intricate tale of love, murder and obsession. With touches of Wilkie Collins, Dickens and even the Penny Dreadfuls - it’s a real page-turner.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel – Winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize. Mantel’s retelling of English history between 1527 to 1535 with Cromwell as the hero succeeds in making this well-known subject both gripping and, on occasion, shocking to the reader. It can also be very funny at times. Read Times review.

The Boy With the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne – This simple, yet hugely affecting, tale of the holocaust is told from the perspective of the 9 year old son of a Nazi commandant who is both innocent to and ignorant of what is happening around him. The Guardian describe it as a ‘small wonder of a book' - see what you think. Read Guardian review

If you would like to start your own reading group we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Janette Fleming

Former WAG in Halton Library to inspire teenagers not to be.....WAGS!

Former Actress/singer/WAG turned author Michelle Gayle was in Halton this week to try and inspire teenagers to aspire to use their imaginations.

The multi-talented 90s pin-up bucks the trend having a very successful acting and singing career before marrying a footballer - and continued her career being about to publish her first novel.

She ran workshops at Halton Lea Library on Wednesday 18 November in partnership with The Reading Agency to encourage encourage young women to think about becoming writers rather than footballers’ wives.

‘Pride and Premiership,’ was designed to show young women, that they can use their intellect and natural passion to achieve what they want and inspire them to develop a love for reading and creative writing.

Michelle, perhaps most famous for her role as Hattie in Eastenders and her hit ‘Sweetness’, pioneered the project after she discovered that many girls in secondary education only aspire to be a WAG.

The workshops are based around a novel Michelle has written on this subject and will be held in an area of Halton Lea Library designed by local teenagers, as part of The Reading Agency’s successful ‘Headspace’ initiative.

Girls from several schools are attending. During the first they were introduced to Michelle’s novel and encouraged to discuss some of the issues raised in the opening chapters.

The girls will then continue their own version of the novel using Blackberries, and develop their own writing using this technology, before presenting it in the second workshop on Tuesday 24 November.

They will also be encouraged to share their work on www.groupthing.org, The Reading Agency's social network for young people based around reading, writing and creativity.

Michelle said: "It is fantastic to work with young women in Halton and work together to see what they can achieve. It is great to be able to do something constructive to help."

Teenagers get their own space at Halton Lea Library

http://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/4706528.Teenagers_get_their_own_space_at_Halton_Lea_Library/?ref=mr

TEENS can now chill out, read, listen to music and surf in their very own pad inside Halton Lea’s new-look library.

Young people designed their own area, chose the books and selected the furniture.
It is part of HeadSpace, a national project funded by the Big Lottery and managed by charity The Reading Agency, which encourages youngsters to create their own ideas.

Clr John Swain, board member for libraries, said: “The project is bringing more young people into libraries by showing them that libraries are welcoming and inspirational places where they can get involved in their own communities.”

A team of young people were involved in the project.
Steven Edgar, aged 18, of Wharsdale Road, Runcorn, said: “The library and events should really help to attract more young people to the library.”

Halton Lea is now looking for more young people aged 11 to 19 who are interested in accredited volunteering opportunities in HeadSpace.

For more details, e-mail jennie.archer@halton.gov.uk or follow HeadSpace on Twitter at twitter.com/headspacefford