Friends of Batley Library

Animal Agents Summer Reading Challenge 2017

30th August 2017 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

This summer we have been encouraging children to take part in the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge. This year the theme was ‘Animal Agents’ and to celebrate we hosted a selection of our furry friends at the library!

There is still time to get involved before the summer holidays end, so if you’d like to take part all you need to do is return two books to the library and ask to join the Summer Reading Challenge. Finish six books and you will win a medal and a certificate!

Easter Holiday Events

6th April 2017 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

The Easter holidays are nearly upon us and there is TONS of stuff going on at Batley Library over the next fortnight. Here’s your handy day-by-day guide.

Monday 10th April

The calm before the storm. We’re open as normal for all the regular library activities.

Tuesday 11th April

Try it Tuesday – The first of our new monthly Tuesday sessions. Each session will contain something completely different, so come on down and give something new a try! Runs 1:30pm to 3:30pm on the first Tuesday of every month. Aimed at adults.
Rap with Rappaman! – Rappaman, aka Donavan Christopher, will be performing a selection of his poetry and hosting a workshop to inspire young writers to write their own poems. 2pm – 3:30pm, book tickets through the Pageturners Festival website. Suitable for ages 8+

Wednesday 12th April

Modern Sculptures (plaster/modroc figures) – The Creative Arts Hub will be running this all day session where children will be encouraged to build their own sculptures. 10am – 3pm, children are asked to bring a packed lunch. Book your tickets here. Suitable for 8-12 year olds.

Thursday 13 April

Primitive Coil Pots – The Creative Arts Hub will be running this all day session where children will be encouraged to build their own coil pots. 10am – 3pm, children are asked to bring a packed lunch. Book your tickets here. Suitable for 8-12 year olds.
Be a Hero! With Steve Skidmore – Steve will be talking about all things heroic, be prepared to join in! 11am – noon, book tickets through the Pageturners Festival website. Suitable for ages 7-12.

Friday 14th April – Library Closed for Good Friday

Saturday 15th April

Code Club – our weekly session designed to encourage children to learn to code. 10:45am-11:45am. Suitable for 8-12 year olds.

Monday 17th April – Library Closed for Easter Monday

Tuesday 18th April

The Search for Wonder – a family workshop based around music run by the 154 Collective. 10am-noon. Suitable for ages 4-10, places are limited to 15 (including any supervisory adults) so book now!

Wednesday 19th April

Modern Sculptures (Moore and Hepworth) – The Creative Arts Hub will be running this all day session where children will be encouraged to build their own sculptures. 10am – 3pm, children are asked to bring a packed lunch. Book your tickets here. Suitable for 8-12 year olds.

Saturday 22nd April

Art Workshop with the Children’s Art School – join them to work together on a large scale art project, and make a mask to take home. 10am – noon, book tickets through the Pageturners Festival website. Suitable for all ages.
Code Club – our weekly session designed to encourage children to learn to code. 10:45am-11:45am. Suitable for 8-12 year olds.
Lego Club – our fortnightly Lego Club. No need to book, just show up! 2pm – 3:30pm.

Love Batley Event 10th February 2017

11th February 2017 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

Friday 10th February saw our ‘Love Batley’ Event featuring a short film made by Simon Roadnight, Chair of the Friends of Batley Library Committee, where local residents extol the virtues of our town. The film is now available, in full, on Youtube.

The film was preceded by a talk from local military historian John Rumsby about two lovers during World War One, based on their old letters he found in an attic in Huddersfield. John told the story of Henry Coulter, a young tramways clerk who enlisted in 1915, and his lover Lucy Townend. As we discovered, their letters gave no real insight into the war or other military details, but they did give us a look into the hopes and dreams of two young people during this period.

If you have any ideas for events that the library could host, or talks you think we might be interested in, feel free to contact us with your suggestions, we would be interested to hear them!

We Love Batley – 10th February 2017

24th January 2017 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us and love is in the air at Batley Library. On the 10th February we will be holding the ‘We Love Batley’ event, which will include a variety of events.

At 11am local military historian John Rumbsby will be joining us to tell us the tale of local soldier Henry Coulter and his World War One romance with Lucy Townend, told exclusively via the letters they sent each other. The event is free and there is no need to book, just turn up!

We will also be showing a short film made by Friends of Batley Library Chairman, Simon Roadnight, starring YOU. Or, potentially you. Simon will be in the library with his camera on Thursday 26th January and Thursday 2nd February between 12:30 and 13:30 so you can tell him about what you love about Batley. It could be a story about the town, your childhood, your family, anything!

If that wasn’t enough, starting now and running beyond Valentine’s Day, we are holding a ‘Blind Date With a Book’ competition. Take out one of our mystery books home on blind date and you could be in with a chance of winning some vouchers for local businesses. The top prize is a £20 voucher for Hometown Diner, followed by a £10 for Spices and Rices and two third prizes of £5 vouchers for Gelato Passion. You never know, you could meet your new favourite book!

Christmas Creative Activities Workshop – Sat 10th December

4th December 2016 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

christmas-workshop-flyer It’s Christmas time! To celebrate, on the 10th December we are hosting our Christmas Creative Activities Workshop, a fun artistic session for children where we will be making special Christmas cards, a ‘magic hand’ Christmas tree and helping to decorate a giant parcel. The session will be held between 12:30 and 14:30 and is free! Refreshments will also be provided. Places are extremely limited though, so call the library to book on 01484 414868 or pop in to see us.

Ask Us About eBooks

28th November 2016 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

The eBook display at Batley Library On Saturday 3rd December we are relaunching our eBook service. eBooks and eAudiobooks will be available to download from Overdrive for free. The best part is, there are no late fees as the books automatically delete themselves after they have been on your device for three weeks!

Call into the library between 3rd – 10th December with your tablet and we can get you all set up. What’s more, if you sign up to Overdrive during this week at the library, you will be entered into a draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher!

Overdrive can be used on all iPads, Android tablets and Kindle Fire tablets. Sadly it is unavailable on the traditional e-readers such as the Kobo and the original Kindle.

Upcoming Booksale

16th November 2016 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

Just some of the children's books that will be available on Friday! — Just some of the children’s books that will be available on Friday!

On the 18th November we will once again be holding a book sale at Batley Market! We will have a range of ex-library stock for 20p each, as well as some Ordinance Survey maps that we will be selling for £1. In addition to this we have a range of ‘as new’ books, that would make ideal Christmas presents that will be priced at 50p for paperback and £1 for hardback.

The stall will be open between 10am and 2pm on Friday 18th November, come and say hello!

Half Term Activities – Fabric Lenny and Alison Lock

14th October 2016 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

2016-10-07-11-43-24 — SciFest Yorkshire 2016 display at Batley Library

October half term is almost upon us, and we will be celebrating SciFest Yorkshire with some special science fiction themed events.

First of all, get your holiday off to an artistic start with Fabric Lenny, who will be holding a family friendly, science fiction themed, art workshop at Batley Library on the 22nd October between 10am and Noon. Then, on the 28th October between 2pm and 4pm, a large scale collaborative image created by all the workshops throughout Kirklees will be projected at Huddersfield Library and Art Gallery.

Then on the 25th between 2pm and 4pm, fantasy author Alison Lock will be holding a creative writing session exclusively for 11-18 year olds based around the making of fantasy worlds.

Places are free, but limited, so either call 01484 414868 or pop into the library to book. For details of more SciFest Yorkshire events happening throughout Kirklees, visit their website.

Let’s Make a Fantasy World – October Half Term Writing Workshop

16th September 2016 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

The summer holidays might only just be over, but we’re already thinking about October half term! This year, as part of SciFest Yorkshire, Batley Library is playing host to fantasy author Alison Lock, who will be running a writing workshop for young people.

The workshop will focus on the construction of fictional worlds, looking at different elements, such as languages, history, climate and culture, magic and rules, and people and customs. It will run on Tuesday 25th October from 2pm to 4pm and is open to 11-18 year olds. It is completely free, but book in advance through the library to avoid disappointment!

The Memory Lane Café Launch Event

14th September 2016 Fiona Comments 0 Comment

Tuesday saw the launch of the Memory Lane Café, our new initiative aimed at helping those who struggle with dementia or memory loss. The launch event was attended by a variety of people from the local community, including representatives of local dementia charities, dementia research groups and other mental health organisations, as well as a representative from PPG, who very kindly sponsored the Friends of Batley Library t-shirts the committee members were wearing.

The Café will run on the second Tuesday of every month, and each session will be filled with activities designed to help people remember times past. The aim is to make sure that all who attend:

Enjoy themselves
Make friends, old and new
Feel comfortable at all times

The sessions will start at 13:30 with light refreshments (tea/coffee/juice/biscuits etc)

We will then share an activity together, which will vary depending on the theme of the session. Then we will have table activities, such as looking at old photos, playing games or perhaps just sharing memories.

It is hoped that as the session develops we can tailor the activities to the needs of the people who attend and of course, no one will be asked to do anything they do not feel comfortable with!

Upcoming Sessions

Tuesday 11th October – Fun and Games
A play day. A chance to remember life before modern technology.

Tuesday 8th November – Rich and Famous
Who’s who and what do they do?

Tuesday 13th December – Christmas Past
Bring something which reminds you of Christmas when you were younger.