May edition
May news ()
** Meet the author Leeanne O'Donnell
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We are delighted that debut author Leeanne O'Donnell will be joining us online for an 'In Conversation' event on 15 May as part of her promotional book tour. Leeanne's exciting new novel 'Sparks of Bright Matter' is a historical novel set between Georgian London and West Cork. It tells the story of the last alchemist, Peter Woulfe. He seeks enlightenment, but instead finds love and becomes embroiled in a dangerous Jacobite plot involving a mysterious book, the Mutus Liber, and a cat-and-mouse chase across London.
During the event we will find out about Leeanne's early influences, inspiration and writing process. Everybody is welcome and there will be the opportunity to ask Leeanne questions.
Book tickets for Leeanne O'Donnell event
** Reading Well for dementia
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A new Reading Well for dementia scheme is launching to support people living with dementia, their carers and family members, including children. The scheme offers quality-assured, evidence-based reading recommendations, and will launch on 13 May 2024 at the start of Dementia Action Week in public libraries across England and Wales.
Reading Well for dementia promotes understanding and helps to break down stigma around dementia. Some of the recommended books provide information and advice; there are also personal stories and children’s fiction. Reading Well books are free to borrow from your local library, and many of the titles are also available to access digitally as e-books and audiobooks. Find out more:
** Transform lives with foster caring
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Foster care fortnight takes place 13 - 26 May this year, and we are raising awareness to all existing, and potential foster carers, that libraries are free to use and explore. To support families and encourage a whole family culture of reading and the pleasure from books, you can apply for a foster carer library card which enables carers to borrow a higher number of books to share at home. Visit your local library with your foster carer id and staff will talk to you about all the benefits of using this card. Find out about fostering with Dorset Council.
collage of 5 pictures from around Dorset with 2 decorative images of a handful of old black and white photographs
** Local and community history month
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Be inspired during local and community history month, and explore the local collections in our libraries. Find shipwrecks, roman villas, iconic places and ghost trails, take time to explore the area where you live. If you want to learn about your family history you can use public network computers in libraries, to access Ancestry Library edition
.
If you want to do research why not visit Dorset History Centre
which is the archives service and local studies library for Bournemouth, Christchurch, Dorset and Poole. The centre:
* collects, preserves and make documents available to view; these include paper, parchment and printed documents as well as audio-visual material and digital records
* cares for, and carries out conservation work on documents if necessary
* provides copies of documents
* supports projects relating to history and heritage in Dorset
** Learning online - helping to support our community
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Did you know - with your library card or by visiting a Dorset Library you can access GoCitizen.co.uk.
It's an online study resource for candidates preparing for the Life in the UK Test or British citizenship test. The service includes an online version of the latest official study materials plus hundreds of practice test questions in the same format as the official test.
If you know someone who struggles with basic digital skills - tell them about Learn My Way
it's a free online platform that helps people gain basic digital skills and improve their digital literacy.
Find free courses using computers in libraries, or at home.
collage of children's creative activities for May half term events
** Fun for children during May half-term
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We are only at the start of the month, but the planning has already started for some extra special library activities to keep families busy during May half-term. New events are being added to the Dorset Library Service webpages
all the time, so do keep looking, here are a few highlights so far:
* Celebrate Elmer day with self-led activities at Crossways Library
* Find out about lovely hedgehogs at Littlemoor Library
* Learn about beach safety with the RNLI at Lyme Regis Library
* Get coding with our fun codeapillars at Corfe Mullen Library
* Get creative with sea themed crafts at Upton Library
* Wear your pyjama's and celebrate Pyjamarama day at Swanage Library
Search the Family Information Directory
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