‘Libraries are often the hub of a local community’ – Cabinet Secretary for Culture Fiona Hyslop
She may be too young to read, but Halle Edwards has become Edinburgh’s youngest library member – at the tender age of three weeks! Continue reading Meet Halle – Edinburgh’s youngest bookworm!
Congratulations to Edinburgh’s first Reading Community
Edinburgh’s Craigmillar has been named as one of Scotland’s first ever Reading Communities. The new initiative, which was announced by Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop at Craigmillar Library yesterday, also kicked off local celebrations for Book Week Scotland 2015.
Set up by the Scottish Book Trust, special “reading champions” will lead the country’s four Reading Communities and will be tasked with delivering innovative projects with local communities to encourage interest in books from all ages.
Claire Askew, a poet, writer and creative writing teacher, has been appointed as Craigmillar’s champion and will take up her post in March next year. Claire said: “I am so pleased to have been selected and I’m especially pleased that I’ll get to work alongside the brilliant team at Craigmillar Library – I can’t wait to get started!”
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Craigmillar being named as one of the first Reading Communities in Scotland is excellent news – congratulations to our new champion. This is a fantastic initiative and I am sure that it will help us to encourage people to make books an even bigger part of their everyday lives.
“Reading is such a wonderful pastime and thanks to the Capital’s public libraries, you can take books home free or read them online, I would encourage everyone to visit their local library today and find out just how much they have to offer people of all ages.”
Edinburgh’s libraries will host an array of authors throughout Book Week, who will be giving free talks about their work – times and places are on the website. Writer Cathy Rentzenbrink and Douglas Lindsay will be reading copies of Journeys, which is being given out free during the Week, on a tram at Edinburgh Airport this Friday.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, added: “I am delighted to announce our Reading Communities for 2016. We had a really high standard of applicants but I am sure the four areas we have chosen will deliver some really creative and collaborative projects with their dedicated Reading Champions, to involve and inspire their local communities.
“Scottish Book Trust also looks forward to working with the Champions and the libraries to engage local people with our programmes including our annual story gathering campaign and Book Week Scotland.”
The four Reading Communities, each to be led and nurtured by a dedicated Reading Champion and supported financially and practically for nine months by Scottish Book Trust, are Craigmillar in Edinburgh, Dalmuir in West Dunbartonshire, Thurso in the Highlands and Shetland.
Book your tickets for events at www.edinburghreads.eventbrite.
Tasty treats were on the menu at the launch of this year’s popular Green Pencil Award writing competition yesterday, when Carrick Knowe Primary School pupils were joined by leading children’s author Vivian French for a food-themed story workshop.
This year’s Green Pencil theme is ‘Food for thought: Scotland’s food and drink’. Entrants can write a poem or story about a favourite meal, or a memorable Scottish picnic, a drink they love or hate, or perhaps even invent a new Scottish food!
Or they could think about the journey of a vegetable from being planted as a seed to ending up as part of a delicious, nutritious meal.
Budding writers can get inspiration by visiting local libraries, which have lots of ideas and books to help, and also by asking in schools, which have resources available to support this award.
All entries can be made by following this link and should be no longer than one side of A4 – entries longer than that cannot be considered.
The closing date is Friday 9 October, with an awards ceremony at the Central Library in late November.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “The Council has been running this competition for eight years and it grows in popularity each time. We have so many budding writers with fabulous imaginations in our schools, and reading the entries is always a joy for our library staff.
“Reading skills are such vital aspects to learning, but also a really fun way of doing so. Thanks so much to Vivian for bringing it to life so vividly for these lucky pupils. Good luck to everyone who enters.”
Ms French said: “I love the Green Pencil Award, because it encourages children to look at the world around them, and to think about things they might otherwise take for granted.
“It inspires curiosity, consideration, and critical judgement … essential ingredients for everyone – especially writers!”
Edinburgh’s libraries are thriving – more people are using our city’s library services than ever before.
A report to the Council’s Culture and Sport Committee tomorrow (Tuesday 18 August) will detail achievements such as a 2% increase in visits to libraries and 16% increase to special events, a 4% rise in transactions, significant upgrades to buildings and an expansion of digital services.
The Next Generation Library Strategy 2012–2015, based on a major public consultation involving customers, staff, local communities, partners and stakeholders, was approved in March 2012 and sets out key objectives for the development of the service.
Achievements include:
• The doubling of membership of the Central Children’s Library since the new service began in 2014;
• The launch of Level-UP, an innovative reading and gaming scheme for boys aged 11-14;
• The award-winning Digital Toybox project at Drumbrae;
• Free books for four-year-olds of high social need through Reading Rainbows Literacy;
• The first MoreFun Book Festival in Moredun in June this year;
• New buildings at Drumbrae and Craigmillar;
• Eleven libraries earning the in-house Gold Standard Programme.
The strategy’s eight objectives are:
• Access to library and information services through a community based network of small libraries, neighbourhood libraries and larger neighbourhood hubs;
• Buildings fit for purpose, in the right place;
• Innovative and excellent 24/7 electronic access to library services;
• Improved literacy and digital skills and enhanced love of reading;
• Effective use of technology to deliver service improvements;
• Empowered and motivated staff delivering excellent customer service;
• Best Value from resources and assets through partnership, innovation, income generation and new ways of working;
• Increased customer base supported by clear marketing and promotion of the service.
Edinburgh has 28 public library buildings, a mobile library service and outreach library services for looked after children, hospitals, care homes, and HMP Edinburgh.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “I am delighted that all of the hard work put in by staff to make libraries so appealing is paying off, and that so many people have discovered what wonderful places they are.
“Our libraries are fantastic, inclusive facilities that can be enjoyed by all ages and backgrounds. They cater for all, whether you want to borrow books or read newspapers, or if you’d rather play computer games or take your children to a rhyme time session. Best of all, these services are either free or at a very low cost.
“We will keep delivering on the objectives of the strategy, so that we can continue to develop the diversity of services provided by libraries.”
Edinburgh’s library service began 125 years ago today
Edinburgh’s library service is celebrating its 125th birthday by serving up a feast of special events to mark the landmark anniversary.
A big birthday bash, readings by children’s authors, a rare glimpse of Japanese art and a debate on the future of libraries are all examples of the packed programme of events taking place this month.
The Central Library was the first to open in the Capital to the public on June 9th, 1890, and now a total of 28 across the city welcome 3.4 million visitors each year.
Lord Roseberry officially opened it after previous attempts to set up a free public service failed as it would “put an unnecessary burden on the ratepayers”!
Andrew Carnegie offered £50,000 to establish the iconic library on George IV Bridge and less than a year later he laid the foundation stone.
In the space of 15 years, Edinburgh opened a substantial number of branches in the north, south, east and west districts, as well as a library in Portobello Town Hall.
The Council has continued to invest in new buildings in the 21st century, with a new library for Muirhouse in 2000 and the most recent community hubs opened in Drumbrae and Craigmillar in 2012.
Recent upgrades have been carried out at Stockbridge, Leith, McDonald Road, Morningside and Central.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Libraries have been serving the people of Edinburgh for well over a century and I’m delighted to be part of the birthday celebrations.
“Our library team can keep a large group of toddlers entertained at Bookbug sessions, support the ever-changing population of Edinburgh through community language collections, help people to get connected digitally, and also open up a world of heritage, history and information. I’d like to thank staff for all of their hard and imaginative work.
“There’s a wealth of information and services mainly for free at our fingertips through libraries – support your local branch by keeping them going for at least another 125 years by paying a visit today.”
Edinburgh’s libraries – something to shout about!
“My street is unique, old – an antique!”
School pupils from all corners of the Capital have created a mini-map of Edinburgh with a series of tweets about the city’s streets.
The ‘Tweet Your Street’ project, being announced tomorow (Monday 1 June) at the Central Library, sees the launch of an online map where children have started ‘pinning’ poetic tweets about where they live. A selection of tweets will also be on public display within the children’s area of the library.
The map is a result of a series of poetry workshops with P3-S1 pupils from across the Capital and the Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca.
From the apple trees in Hope Terrace and the cobbles of St Vincent Street, to the cats that stroll along Easter Drylaw Place and the excitement of hearing the jingle of an ice cream van, the map of tweets reveals the essence of living in Edinburgh as a child.
“Walking past running cats
Lovely gardens outside flats
Everyone is full of grace
On Easter Drylaw Place”
(Age 12, Forthview Primary School)
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “These snippets of poetry provide a sweet and honest view of Edinburgh’s communities in the eyes of its youngest residents. In Edinburgh we have a long and proud interest in literature and poetry and it is great to see our pupils’ own writing talent thanks to this project.
“The memories of the street you grow up on stay with you. ‘Tweet Your Street’ captures these memories in a way that will hopefully spark other pupils and residents to view their own communities in a new light and maybe even tweet about it. The Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca and these pupils have produced a brand new way of mapping Edinburgh and getting students interested in poetry.”
Christine De Luca became the Scottish Capital’s poet in residence, the Edinburgh Makar, and promotes Scottish writing and the Capital’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature locally and around the world. She was appointed as the city’s version of ‘Poet Laureate’ in 2014, and initiated ‘Tweet Your Street’.
Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca said: “This has been a fun project to do. I’ve really enjoyed working with a group of committed, enthusiastic teachers. Writing a very short poem which captures something about your street isn’t easy, but reading the children’s poems proves it’s possible. Do read them and pass on the link to family and friends. The Central Library has been a great partner.”
All tweets will be available to view online at the Edinburgh Makar website from 11:30am tomorrow. Here’s a flavour of what to expect:
“In Craigour Loan
The people mingle
To the ice cream van’s jingle
They chat, giggle and play
Every sunny day”
(Age 8 Craigour Park Primary)
“My street is unique
Old – an antique –
It’s Newhouses Road
If you drive in
You have to drive back
You see
It’s a
Cul-de-sac”
(Age 9, St. George’s School for Girls)
Blackhall Library, in partnership with Surgeons Hall, is hosting a talk about Mary Seacole on Wednesday 15 April at 3pm. The event is free.
Click on link (below) for more info about this remarkable woman:
www.bbc.co.uk/history/
More children’s activities at Stockbridge Library this week:
Tuesday 14 April – 2.30-3.30pm
Sweet Easter baskets – craft suitable for 5-12 years.
Friday 17 April 2.30 -3.30pm
Celebrate Vaishaki the Spring festival ! Colourful stories and crafts for 5-12 years.
The Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2015 are on 4 March in Edinburgh. Check out who made this year’s shortlist:
The shortlisting panel also wanted to recommend the following titles as Highly Commended. When you’ve read the shortlist why not take a look at these too?
Bookbug Readers (3-7 years)
Lollipop and Grandpa’s Dinosaur Hunt by Penelope Harper, illustrated by Cate James
Share by Sally Anne Garland
Younger Readers (8-11 years)
The Day the World Went Loki by Robert J Harris
Winter’s Tales by Lari Don
Circus of Thieves and the Raffle of Doom by William Sutcliffe
Older Readers (12-16 years)
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Mind Blind by Lari Don
No need to be bored during the school holidays. There are loads of activities at your local library – and they’re all FREE!
Muirhouse Library
Gamesmasters’ Minecraft Monday 16th February 11.30-12.30pm and 2.00-3.00 pm
Music Production for kids Tuesday 17th February 10.30-12.30 Booking advisable
Mural Art Workshop with Zoo Arts Thursday 19th February 10.30 -12.30 am
Animal Snacks Friday 20th February 2-4.00pm
Jewellery making with the Saturday Art Club 21st February 2.00-4.00 pm.
Granton Library
X-box tournament Monday 16th February and Wednesday 18th February 2.00-4.00pm under 16s
Pancake Party Baby Café Tuesday 17th February for 0-4 years 11am
Pancake Party Tuesday 17th February 5-11 years 2.30-3.30pm
Freemachines Wednesday 18th February 13 to 18 years 5.00-7.00pm Digital art sessions for teenagers in partnership with the Youth Hive
Word Game Fiesta Thursday 19th February 5 to 11 years 2.30-3.30pm
Harry Potter Day Saturday 21st February 5 to 11 years 2.30-4.00pm
Blackhall Library
Seinn – Gaelic songs and rhymes for babies and children Thursday 19th February 10.30 to 11.30 am
The Worst Witch storytime Friday 20th February 5 to 11 years 2.00-3.00pm.
Stockbridge Library
Chinese New Year Lantern Craft Wednesday 18th February 3.30-4.30pm 5 to 11 years
Lego Madness! Super modelling and boredom busting games Friday 20th February 2.30-3.30pm 5 to 11 years
