News from Buckinghamshire Libraries
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In this edition, we talk about spring in libraries, Dementia Action Week, books and magazines on Libby, Volunteers’ Week, Summer Reading Challenge and Foster Care Fortnight.
Celebrating spring in libraries
After a long stretch of cold, windy and rainy weather, spring is finally revealing its signs. It's a good time to have fun with the outdoor activities and prepare for the summer. If you need help, from getting ideas for gardening to picking the best destination for the holidays, we are here for you!
Our teams are busy embellishing libraries with decorations that match the spring season, and some locations are also getting ready to grow flowers and other plants – even fruits, vegetables and herbs – in their very own gardens and green spaces.
May is National Walking Month, and you have many reasons to enjoy it in Buckinghamshire! You can connect with nature by visiting our parks, stay active with BetterPoints (
) and join the Simply Walk (
) for group walks that begin or end at some of our libraries. There are lots of enjoyable activities for children and families (
) too!
Walking can boost your mood, energy, and creativity, as well as reduce the risk of chronic conditions like high blood pressure and heart issues. Speaking of heart health, why not check out our ‘Pump it Up’ health stations (
) at Aylesbury and High Wycombe libraries? Other locations also have blood pressure monitors that you can borrow with your library card.
Come along and celebrate spring with us!
Dementia Action Week
We invite you to ‘act on dementia’.
During the Dementia Action Week (
) (13-19 May), an annual campaign led by Alzheimer’s Society, some libraries will host special events and activities (
) to raise awareness and understanding of dementia. This is an opportunity to share stories, gain knowledge, and connect with others who are on this journey. You can also learn more about our library resources and initiatives, such as large print books and audiobooks, Memory Bags, Reminiscence Collection, Dementia Information Points and Cosy Corners.
Libraries are important to support people with dementia by creating a welcoming and inclusive space, offering various events and activities that enhance wellbeing, social interaction, and cognitive stimulation, and providing access to information and resources that can help them live well with dementia.
Dementia Awareness Training
We have partnered with Missendens Community Board to offer a dementia awareness training on Wednesday, 15 May. This event is for families and carers who want to learn more about the impact of dementia and how to improve the quality of life for those living with it. The training will take place at Great Missenden Community Library from 10am to 1pm, and it is free for residents of the Missendens area.
You can get more details and reserve your spot by visiting the Eventbrite website (
).
Discover digital books and magazines on Libby
Explore our new books (
) on Libby! You can borrow bestseller and acclaimed titles and discover new authors and stories with the ‘Just Added’ category.
Is someone reading the book you want? While you're on the waiting list, why not check out our special Ready to Go section (
) with available titles so you can start a reading adventure now.
If you love reading magazines, we have something for you! You can read the latest and previous issues of the most popular magazines (
) on different topics – from gardening to news.
Maybe you are into comic books? Well, you can browse our graphic novels category (
) and find the best publications to follow your superheroes and other fantastic stories.
Libby app is compatible with Android, iOS and Fire tablets. To download it, visit GooglePlay, AppStore and Amazon Appstore. Remember, you can also use a computer to access Libby and read your favourite books and magazines!
Discover Libby and other digital library resources (
)
Coming soon to our libraries
Volunteers’ Week
As June approaches at a fast pace, we have many reasons to celebrate this month – and Volunteers’ Week is one of them!
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the campaign that highlights the importance of volunteering and how it benefits not only libraries, but also other essential services and initiatives across the UK. The Volunteers' Week happens between 3-9 June.
Volunteers are essential to libraries as they provide diverse and inclusive services that meet the needs of their communities. They bring skills, enthusiasm and creativity to libraries and help promote reading, learning and wellbeing. Volunteering is also rewarding and empowering for the volunteers themselves.
For this edition, we want to celebrate once again by thanking our incredible volunteers. Stay tuned for special contents on our social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram and X!
If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, come to your nearest Bucks libraries, and talk to our friendly staff and volunteers.
Summer Reading Challenge
The exciting news is here! The Reading Agency (
) has revealed the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge: Marvellous Makers! In collaboration with Create (
), a leading charity that delivers the creative arts to those who need it most, this year’s Challenge will spark children’s imaginations and inspire them to be creative and tell stories through reading.
SAVE THE DATE: the Challenge begins on Saturday 6 July in our libraries. Keep an eye on our next newsletter for more details!
The Summer Reading Challenge is an annual campaign to encourage children aged 4 to 11 to keep reading during the summer holidays, ensuring they are ready for a great start to the new school term in the autumn. Children set a reading goal and collect rewards in libraries and online for reading anything they enjoy.
Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website (
)
Become a Summer Reading Challenge volunteer
Spread the joy of reading! Become a Summer Reading Challenge volunteer. We are looking for young people aged 14 to 25 to support the Summer Reading Challenge in Buckinghamshire libraries.
Opportunities may include:
Helping to run activities for children and familiesHanding out prizes and signing up new challengersTalking to children about the books they’ve read
Contact your local library today to ask about volunteering opportunities for this years’ Summer Reading Challenge or email library@buckinghamshire.gov.uk ( library@buckinghamshire.gov.uk )
Foster Care Fortnight
Between 13 and 26 May, Buckinghamshire Council will be celebrating the Fostering Network’s national recognition of Foster Care Fortnight. This year’s theme is ‘Fostering Moments’, giving us an opportunity to reflect on the value a great foster carer adds to the life of a child in care.
We understand that to be a great carer, you need great support too, and it’s important to us that fostering is a rewarding experience for everyone involved. In addition to our 24/7 support, extensive training, and highly competitive financial allowances for our foster carers, we are also launching a brand-new unique and exciting package of benefits and perks exclusively for Buckinghamshire Council foster carers during Foster Care Fortnight.
If you are interested in finding out more about becoming part of our fostering community, you are invited to join us for an information evening on Thursday 23 May at The Gateway, Aylesbury from 6:30-8:30pm. Here, you will have the chance to meet the fostering team, hear first-hand accounts from our foster carers and hear the full details about our exciting new offer for foster carers.
You can also meet us as we tour across the county throughout Foster Care Fortnight. Come along to chat to some friendly faces, ask any questions you may have about fostering and take the first step to joining our fostering community. You can find us from 9am-2pm in the following locations:
Tuesday 14 May: High Street, Buckingham (opposite Waitrose)Friday 17 May: Market Square, AylesburySaturday 18 May: High Street, CheshamFriday 24 May: High Street, High Wycombe
When you start to build a foster family with Buckinghamshire Council, you’ll find that you become part of an even bigger, brilliant, fostering family who all have one thing in common; we care.
Sign up for our information session (
) or if you can’t make it to one of our events but are still interested in finding out more about the latest news, events or joining our fostering community, you can sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media.
We have activities and events for all ages. Join arts and crafts sessions, workshops, community talks, advice sessions, board games groups and many more.
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