UCI Cycling World Championships: Community Engagement Sessions

Men’s Elite Road Race comes to Edinburgh on 6th August

In advance of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships the organisers are hosting two community engagement sessions at Stockbridge Library and Edinburgh Central Library on July 13 for residents to find out how the August 6 event will impact them 🚴

Full details here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/uci-world-cycling…

Teddy Bears’ Sleepover at Central Library on Tuesday

Join us at Edinburgh Children’s Library for our very exciting Teddy Bears’ Sleepover!

To book, click the link below which will take you to our Eventbrite page.

#EdinburghChildrensLibrary

#TeddyBearsSleepover

https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/teddy-bears-sleepover-childrens-event-for-3-5-year-olds-tickets-475608496817?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Blind artists to make a splash at Central Library

A group of blind and partially sighted artists will be showcasing their work at Edinburgh’s Central Library next month [3rd – 31st October].

‘Over and Under the Sea’ will be an exhibition of sea-themed art works created by The Hillside Visually Impaired Art Group. The artists are all members of classes held by volunteers from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland at its Edinburgh headquarters.

The group has come together to create a series of sea inspired panels, and sculptures of sea creatures ranging from a terrifying piranha to a stocky starfish. The remainder of the exhibition consists of a diversity of individual works created by the members. Some of the artists paint in acrylic, and others model in clay, using a variety of textured, and hence tactile, materials. 

“The exhibition was originally booked to run in 2020 but was postponed for two years,” says Andy Richie, one of the art group volunteers. “When the group was able to meet again, there were quite a few members whose sight condition had deteriorated significantly, but they were all undaunted.

“We have spent the last 12 months helping them learn new techniques and developing new styles. Many were working right up to the last of our art sessions but we are able to say that all 12 artists will have at least one piece displayed in the exhibition.”

The exhibition will be hosted in the Art & Design library within Central Library on George IV Bridge from Monday 3rd October to Monday 31st October. The opening hours are:

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday: 10am – 8pm

Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 10am – 5pm.

The artists who will exhibit their work are:

Alan McIntyre

Alex MG

Anne Dignan

Dorothy Cunningham

Fiona Powell

Kasia Jakimczuk

Paul Edwards

Muriel Matheson

Stacey Scott

Sue Marshall

Susan Ballam

Veronica Moodie

What’s Your Story? Explore your family history at Central Library

Want to trace your family tree, but not sure where to start?

Come along to our beginners’ #FamilyHistory session @edcentrallib to find out about the free library resources that can help.

Next session is Thursday 25 August at 2pm.

Book by emailing informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk

IWD: new Central Library mural celebrating Edinburgh women

To mark International Women’s Day 2022 we’re inviting residents and students from selected high schools, to help us create a brand-new mural for Central Library.

The mural will display portraits of an array of influential Edinburgh women, past and present. Inspired by a similar project that has been running in America since 2016 called ‘Work in Progress’, we’ll display the finished mural as part of an exhibition in the Central Library.

We’d like to invite you to get involved in creating the stencils of the nominated figures. Please join us at one of the three stencilling workshops at Central Library on 12, 19 and 26 March.

Book your place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/edinburgh-reads-1650684470 

To kick off the celebration and project, we’ve got a very special discussion with local author Sara Sheridan, who talks about her favourite trailblazing Edinburgh women.

Sign up to our blog, Tales of One City, to watch the video:

 :https://talesofonecity.wordpress.com/2022/03/08/public-mural-project-to-celebrate-women-of-edinburgh/

Keep your eyes peeled for updates on social media!

#InternationalWomensDay22

#BreakTheBias

Book your place: a new chapter for Central Library

Culture Convener CLLR DONALD WILSON writes about exciting literary developments with plans to transform Central Library, National Mobile Libraries Day and Scottish Book Week:

Mobile Library

They say things come in threes and that’s definitely the case in Edinburgh with all things literature at the moment!

Today we are celebrating the first National Mobile Libraries Day and Edinburgh is one of best local authorities in the country for providing this valuable service.

Edinburgh has five  vehicles which is more than any other city in Scotland (Glasgow doesn’t have any), making  over 5,800 stops every year and lending out nearly 100,000 items from books to dvds and also providing services such as storytelling sessions and craft activities.

Mobile libraries are a real lifeline for communities and using them gives people a sense of belonging and helps to reduce loneliness and isolation.

They are so much more than books which leads nicely onto this week being Scottish Book Week. Edinburgh was the first City of Literature in the world so it’s only right we celebrate Scottish Book Week with lots of fun and educational events in our libraries, schools and across the city. Why not pop down to your local library to see what they’ve got planned?

One exciting new development is the news of our ambitious plans to transform the Central Library.

Last week the Culture and Communities Committee approved proposals to create a project team to develop an imaginative, accessible and engaging future vision for one of the Capital’s most iconic buildings.

We fully realise this is a major undertaking but it’s one we are embracing with open arms as we aim to create an inspiring and inclusive learning and cultural destination.

There will undoubtedly be many challenges on the long journey but we need to transform the Central Library to meet 21st Century needs and the evolving expectations of both present and future generations.

One of the major issues facing us is poor accessibility as many areas are off limits to wheelchair users and extremely challenging for others.

Public space is limited with only about 35% currently available however our two public proposals would increase this to 75% and 95%.

Funding will be another challenge but one where there are potential options we can explore.

Doing nothing is expensive and doesn’t deliver best value – we need to be preventative rather than reactive.

We have already shown what can be achieved with the refurbishment of the Children’s Library, Music Library, Edinburgh and Scottish Collection in 2014. These spaces are now modern, bright and welcoming which has led to an increase in visitors.

Transforming the Central Library is key to widening access and inclusion, to offering an outstretched, welcoming hand for all. Sparking discovery, creativity and imagination through the power of reading and learning, in all its forms.

As Andrew Carnegie said in a telegram to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh on 27 April 1886: ‘There is one point upon which all true Scotchmen are agreed, that no city in the world compares to Edinburgh’. Edinburgh deserves a Central Library of the highest quality that matches or exceeds those anywhere else in the world – let’s all work together to deliver one!