Cambridgeshire Libraries
June 2012
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| Dear Reader, | |
A new Library System
 As featured in our May eNewsletter, Cambridgeshire County Council is installing a new, modern Library Management System that will improve the library catalogue and provide you with a wider range of services, including a new Library App for mobile devices.
To make sure the new system is installed successfully we will need to close libraries briefly. However during this time no items will be due for return. We will do our best to keep disruption to a minimum and most libraries will be shut for a single day or less. Read full details of library closures here.
In preparation for the changeover, the following services will not be available until 25 June 2012:
- Telephone renewals
- E-books
- Online information sources - available within libraries but may be inaccessible from home
- Online catalogue, renewals and requests
This is unavoidable for technical reasons and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
All other services will continue as normal and customers will be able to borrow and return items in libraries. The public computers and Wi-Fi will remain available except for Thursday 21 June when work to switch over to the new system is scheduled and there will be no public computer facilities or Wi-Fi in any library. We anticipate that normal service will resume from Tuesday 26 June.
On the same day that the new Library Management System is launched, you will also notice some changes to the Library Service webpages. These new pages have been designed based on feedback from library users to help improve the website so that it is a lot more user-friendly and easier for you to find the information and services you need.
Thank you for your patience at this time. We look forward to your feedback on the new system in due course. |
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Improving Library Computers | |
Thank you to everyone who completed our survey to help us improve library computers. We are currently analysing the results. Once this is complete we will announce the steps we are going to take. |
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Community Art Display | |
 Chatteris and March libraries would like to invite all schools and community groups in Fenland to contribute to a sport-themed art exhibition, in celebration of London 2012 to be showcased in Summer 2012.
Entrants can submit drawings, paintings, collages, quilt, knitted or any other technique you can think of as long as they are under A3 size and can be hung from a display board. Download the entry form here
Entries must be submitted by the opening ceremony on Friday 27 July. Please contact Alison Sutton on alison.sutton@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for more information.
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St Ives Celebrated 20th Birthday | |
 St Ives Library celebrated its 20th birthday on Saturday 26 May. The library has been based on Library Row for 20 years since the move from Bible Orchard, St Ives. To mark this occasion we invited our customers to enjoy a piece of birthday cake and sign our birthday card.
The cake was kindly donated to us by Waitrose and was decorated with lots of miniature books - spare copies were available for more hungry readers. Our customers enjoyed the cake and also spent time looking at the display of photographs put together to show events and faces that have been part of the past 20 years. It was a lovely day for staff and customers alike.
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Ramsey Library Exhibition | |
 All are invited to a special exhibition at Ramsey Library, on Thursday 12 July. We will be displaying several of the beautiful "Ramsey A to Z project" textile banners and they will be available to view from 10am-5pm.
The exhibition at Ramsey Library will also showcase the excellent work carried out by the Ramsey and District Community Archive, which includes contributions of photographs, memories and other information from local residents and interested people from around the world in order that these memories will be preserved for future generations.
During 2006 / 2007, community artist Ricki Outis worked with local people in and around Ramsey over a seven month period, to find out what was important and unique about Ramsey and its heritage. The community contributed many photographs, stories and reminiscences and were then involved in copying them onto cotton, using cyanotype photographic printing. 20 banners were made from the images using colourful dyes, threads and beads. They are a stunning representation of Ramsey life, created for the community by the community.
The project was originally managed by Huntingdonshire District Council's Arts Development Department and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Project participants included Abbey College, Chaos Youth Centre, Mill House, HDC Health Walks Group, Ramsey Day Centre, Ramsey Junior School, Ramsey Storytellers, Wistow WI, and The Tuesday Club.
Fast forward to 2012 and, over recent months, various local organisations, including Cambridgeshire Libraries, have been working together to find a permanent home in Ramsey for all the banners. We are delighted that the Ramsey Rural Museum has offered to house them and the banners will be available to be loaned out to local groups.
The banners will remain on display in the library until Saturday 14th July.
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Bookstart Pledge | |
 Bookstart exists to give every child a flying start in life, and that's why we are asking for your support to help secure it for future generations. You can be a part of the Bookstart 20th year celebrations by making a simple pledge: to share 20 books with your child in 2012.
The pledge postcard is available in libraries or children's centres. Public can also pledge online or visit the website for more information.
Making the pledge is a simple way for people to get into the habit of reading with their children and show support for Bookstart. The routine of sharing books, stories, songs and rhymes with babies helps to build pre-literacy skills as well as providing a unique opportunity for parents and carers to build a strong and loving bond with their children. |
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Crime and Romance at a library near you | |
 Local authors Alison Bruce and Rosy Thornton both have new books out, and will be visiting libraries around the county during July and August 2012.
Alison's new book 'The Silence', is the fourth in the DC Goodhew series. She will be at Ely Library on Sunday 1 July at 2.45pm and March Library on Saturday 28 July at 3.30pm.
Rosy's latest novel 'Ninepins', is set against the brooding landscape of the fens. She will be talking about her book at Cambourne Library on Saturday 7 July at 3pm, Yaxley Library on Tuesday 17 July at 7pm and Ramsey Library on Wednesday 8 August at 3.30pm.
Tickets for all events are free, but numbers are limited so please reserve your place at the library at where the event is being held. Each event will be preceded by a get together for local reading group members. If you belong to a reading group and haven't received an email about this, please contact brenda.mead@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for more information.
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Jobs Club at Ely Library Learning Centre |
Library Learning Centres now offer Job Clubs for jobseekers. Working in close partnership with the National Careers Service and Job Centre Plus, they have become popular with those searching for work and seeking advice on learning and training opportunities.
The drop-in sessions are currently being offered at the Learning Centre in Ely Library on Friday morning at 10am-12noon. Additional information and advice sessions, along with courses, are offered at all our Learning Centres.
Information shows that applying for jobs online can be one of the biggest barriers to find employment - as people often do not have the IT confidence or skills needed to do so. Completing the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) is a great opportunity to build up these skills and also gives learners a qualfication to showcase on their CV. It's fully funded for those who are unemployed and seeking work.
Maths and English are also skills often required in the work place and qualifications in these subjects are available, often fully funded. Job seekers could also consider completing the Employability qualification which covers specific skills such as CV writing and how to search for jobs online. Again, this can be fully funded. Courses are offered at Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, March, Ramsey, St. Ives, St. Neots, Whittlesey and Wisbech.
To book, please email Gemma.Lenton@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or call 01733 205780. Alternatively you can visit your local Learning Centre.
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Hot new books in June | |
To help give you some ideas of what or whose books to read, why not have a look at our list of:
Hot new books
(Titles include 'Whatever It Takes' by Adele Parks, 'The Long Earth' by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter and few more)
Author of the month: Lee Child | Top Authors |
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The Great British Story | |
 Everyone has a story to tell about their family or where they live. Come and share your experiences, discover your local history and let us help you to shape and create your own story which can be passed down the generations.
Explore fascinating objects and paintings from the Cambridgeshire Collection and Archives, the Fitzwilliam Museum, St Neots Museum and Wisbech Museum. It might be a woodcut by Gwen Raverat, the wooden cot which held Britain's first surviving quadruplets, the archived dying words of prisoners who were to be publicly hanged or a jewel-like Bronze-Age scabbard.
Through talks, writing and storytelling workshops in Cambridgeshire Libraries and Museums, we are inviting you to imagine the story behind the object, whether it's your own or in a museum. So bring along your family story or a significant possession, and an open mind and be inspired to write and tell your story. Follow the links below to find out about our free workshops and talks in June and July:
Tuesday 19 June, Cambridgeshire in War and Peace talk and workshop at Central Library Cambridge
11am-12noon Illustrated Talk
1:30pm -2:30pm Writing workshop
Tuesday 26 June, Stunning Stories talk and workshop from St Neots
2pm-3pm Talk at St Neots Museum
3:30pm Writing Workshop at St Neots Library
Wednesday 11 July, A Private View of Cambridge
11am-12noon The Fitzwilliam Museum
1:30pm-2:30pm Central Library Cambridge
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Forthcoming Events |  Please find below the summary of forthcoming events in libraries. For full and up-to-date details please visit our News and events website. All other events organised by third-party organisations that are taking place in our libraries can be found on www.cambridgeshire.net Both sites are updated daily.   Central Library, Cambridge Cambourne Library Chatteris Library - Saturday 30 June at 10am, Chatteris Library Birthday and Coffee Morning by Friends of Chatteris Library (Frolic)
Ely Library Huntingdon Library March Library Ramsey Library Sawtry Library
Soham Library
St Ives Library
St Neots Library
Wisbech Library
Yaxley Library
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| Did you know | That our online resources are here to help answer your information, research and coursework needs. It contains online dictionaries, encyclopaedias, biographies, newspaper articles and business information. If you can't find what you need our librarians would be more than happy to help with your enquiry.
- It's free
- It's available from home, college and work
- It's available when you want it
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What would you like to see in this newsletter? Do you have any trouble reading the text?
Please tell us what you think by emailing your.library@cambridgeshire.gov.uk We would like your input in improving the look and contents of the newsletter. |
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