Books and reading
Libraries in Rochdale have a wealth of books for you to
enjoy. Whether it is sitting curled up in front of the fire
reading your favourite fiction book or using our vast array of
non-fiction to study, we are here to provide you with the
opportunity to encounter all aspects of reading.
If you love books and wish to share your experiences with other
people why not come along to one of our many reading groups that
are held in our libraries throughout the Rochdale borough. They are
informal gatherings, which meet on a regular basis to talk about
books of all genres and discuss their enthusiasm for reading.
Each group is different; some may take a light hearted approach to
reading while others are more highbrow and formal. There is
something for everyone!
We also have writing groups and poetry groups for those who
wish to branch out and participate in something a little more
diverse.
The National Year of Reading
2008 is The National Year of Reading, a celebration of words and
reading in every form: from novels to song lyrics, from poetry to
film scripts. As well as events in libraries and schools you can
get involved by joining in discussions, polls and challenges on the
National Year of Reading web site.
From April 2008 to December 2008 events and activities linked to
The National Year of Reading will have a monthly theme:
- April: Read all about it!
- May: Mind and body
- June: Reading escapes
- July: Rhythm and rhyme
- August: Read the game
- September: You are what you read
- October: Word of Mouth
- November: Screen reads
- December: Write the future
Look out for National Year of Reading events in a library near
you!
Take a
Reading Challenge!
Read Up — teenagers have your
say!
News from The
National Year of Reading
National Poetry Day
Thursday 9 October
This year's theme for National Poetry Day is Work. Whether yours
is homework or housework, office work or building work, join us in
celebrating poetry.
National poetry Day web
site
Yo ho ho!
Friday 10 October 2008
10 October is National Bookstart Day, celebrating the work we do
to support very young readers and their families and to
encourage a life-long love of reading. This year's national theme
is "Pirates."
Castleton Library Reading Group
Thursday 9 October 2008 11am
We are starting a new reading group at Castleton Library. In the
first meeting we will be discussing books by Alexander McCall
Smith.
Membership is free and everybody is welcome to join.
Smallbridge Library Reading Group
We would like to start a reading group at Smallbridge Library.
If anyone is interested in joining or running a reading, writing or
art group - juniors or adults - please call the library.
Contact: 01706 659978
Meet the authors!
Date: Saturday 18 October 2008 Time: 2.00pm -
3.00pm
Smallbridge Library
Manchester-based crime author Mandasue Heller will be at
Smallbridge Library to talk about her work and to discuss her
latest novel "Shafted."
To book your free place, telephone 01706 924941
Mandasue Heller's books in our libraries
Date: Thursday 11 September 2008 Time: 2.00pm -
3.30pm
Wheatsheaf Library
Thursday's author event gave us the opportunity to meet the
writer Stephen Clayton and discuss his latest book 'The Art of
Being Dead.' This novel, set in a 'bleak northern town' in the
1960s, explores the question: "can you become a murderer by doing
nothing?"
Many thanks to everybody who came along and made this such an
interesting event!
Stephen Clayton's books in our libraries
Local author Pamela Hill, who visited the Wheatsheaf
Library on Saturday 5 July 2008 to talk about her new novel "A
Sense of Belonging". Pamela was born in Greater Manchester, the
only daughter of a fireman and seamstress, during the Second World
War. Raised mainly by her maternal grandfather, during her
formative years, she showed an early interest in literature but
only began to write books following her early retirement. Her
second book, “Alison” is due to be published later this year.
Spotland Library hosted an evening evening in the company
of local author Shirley Wells on Wednesday 30 July 2008.
Shirley spoke about her Lancashire-based crime novels
featuring Jill Kennedy and DCI Max Trentham. Her latest novel “A Darker Side”, the second in the
trilogy, has just been published and is available to borrow from
your local library.
Web Catalogue: availability of copies of "A Darker Side"
in our libraries
Both events are free. More details of these events are available
from the Reader Development Librarian on 01706 924941.
How did you do in the Summer Reading Challenge?
This year's Summer Reading Challenge for children — "Team
Read" — started on 1 July and ended on Saturday 13 September
2008. Hundreds of children took part this year and
congratulations to every one earned themselves a Team Read medal.
- Everybody who completed the Summer Reading Challenge will get a
certificate.
The Team Read web site
Be Greater Manchester's newest author!
Be Manchester's newest author..... Have your work published for
anyone to read!
We are working with Key 103 to find new ways for you to join in
with the year’s events and activities. We want you to submit your
short stories, poems, thoughts and experiences. Whether you write
something of your own or do this as a School class we want to read
your entries. You can submit your work (maximum 750 words) on the
Key 103 web site.
Key 103: Everything starts
with reading
Tired of struggling with small print?
You don't have to have "bad eyesight" to finding reading a
chore: there are times when you want to read a book but your eyes
really don't want to make much of an effort (especially if you have
spent all day staring at a computer screen). Help is at hand: your
local library has a wide selection of books in large print, including many titles in Amazon's
best-selling list.
Here is a selection of some of the popular titles we currently
have in our Large Print Collections:
New large print titles in our libraries
If you are a member of the library and have a PIN number
you can use your library barcode and PIN to reserve a copy so that
you can pick it up at your local library. If you are a member of
the library and don't have a PIN, why not ask a member of staff to
set one up for you next time you visit? You can use your barcode
and PIN to log into the Catalogue so that you can renew your loans
as well as place reservations.