Meet the authors!

Date: Saturday 5 July 2008 Time: 2pm - 4pm

Everyone is welcome to come along and meet local author Pamela Hill, who will be at the Wheatsheaf Library on Saturday 5 July between 2pm and 4pm to talk about her new novel "A Sense of Belonging".

Date: Wednesday 30 July 2008 Time: 7pm - 9pm

Spotland Library is hosting an evening evening in the company of local author Shirley Wells from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday 30 July. Shirley will be talking about her Lancashire-based crime novels featuring Jill Kennedy and DCI Max Trentham.

Both events are free. More details of these events are available from the Reader Development Librarian on 01706 924941

Branch library spotlight: Spotland Library

Every so often we will feature one of our libraries or services in this blog to give you a bit more detail about what we're doing for our local communities. This time we've asked Spotland Library to tell us a bit about themselves.

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Spotland Library is a light and airy 1970's building with a leafy frontage and recently constructed disabled access. It is situated on Ings Lane just off Edenfield Rd with easy access by public transport and parking is available outside the building.

Two lively and friendly book groups meet regularly, one on the first Thursday of the month at 2.15p.m. and the other on Monday evenings at 6.15p.m. every fourth week. (please contact Library for dates of next meetings).

There is also a craft group on Tuesday afternoons from 2 - 4.p.m. where you can make your own bespoke greetings cards (a small charge applies)

Children can join in the frequent school holiday activities and the yearly Reading Game.

Internet access is available free of charge and you can print for a small fee of 10p per sheet.

Whether you want the latest best seller, to trace your family tree or need to do your homework, a wealth of information and warm welcome awaits you at Spotland Library!

Children In Need

Spotland Library raised £97 for Children In Need with a combination of competitions, fun and frolics and sales of works from the craft group that meets in the library.

Many thanks to all involved!

Building works update

More news on the works that are going to be done in some of our libraries this autumn.

Work will be delayed slightly at Heywood Library. The delay is because of some good news: there are plans for some development in Heywood Town Centre which will definitely involve the library in some way. Details are currently being finalised so we aren't sure precisely how the library fits into the plans so we've decided to hang fire until details are available. We want to avoid going through the expense and disruption of getting work done in the short term that will have to be undone, or which becomes redundant, in a year or so's time. Once these plans have been finalised we'll be able to see what modifications, if any, we have to make to the library's refurbishment plan and, if necessary, get listed building consent for the work to be done. Realistically, the work will be beginning in late autumn rather than at the end of next month as hoped.

The work at Balderstone and Spotland libraries will be going ahead next month as planned. We will also be doing some work on the accessibility of Alkrington Library later this autumn, dates to be confirmed. At this stage we don't know whether or not we will need to close Alkrington Library while the work is going on.

An Autumn of upheaval!

It's going to be a busy autumn! We're finalising details of some activities for local and national programmes which we'll be telling you about shortly, as well as providing the "usual" wide range of learning and reading events and activities. On top of all that we're preparing for some major works in some of our libraries:

• We're finishing the preparations for moving Langley Library from its current building into its new home in the nearby Children's Centre.
• Balderstone and Spotland libraries will be having work done to install toilet facilities for disabled people.
• Heywood Library will be closed at the beginning of October for major refurbishment work lasting about six months.

We don't have firm dates for these yet, we'll be letting you know once they're confirmed.