Calderdale Libraries
Bank Holiday Closing for Her Majesty, The Queen’s State Funeral September 19th
Please note that Calderdale Council Services will be mostly unavailable during this day.
There may be other service disruptions elsewhere, please consult with appropriate organisations.
Customer First – closed
Contact Centre – closed
Crematorium – open, the office will be closed, but the phone line will be open
Libraries – closed
Markets – closed
Museums – closed
Register Office – closed
The Shay – closed
Sport Centres – closed
Victoria Theatre – box office and theatre will be closed
Waste and Recycling – refuse, recycling and garden waste are cancelled, Refuse waste scheduled for Monday 19 Sept will be collected on Tuesday 20 September and collections for these services will run a day late during this week.
Recycling collections scheduled for Monday 19 September will not be re-scheduled. Please return containers to their storage point, crews will collect Monday’s recycling on Monday 26 September. Recycling collections from Tuesday 20th will be to the current schedule.
Household waste recycling centres – closed
Healthy Holidays Spring 2022 Programme book from April 1st
Keep the kids entertained in the Spring holiday with fun activities and fed with healthy meals!
If you’re having difficulties registering online, visit your local Calderdale Library and they will support you in registering your children onto available activities.
Facebook: @HealthyHolidaysCalderdale
Website: www.calderdale.gov.uk/healthyholidays
Email: healthyholidays@caldedale.gov.uk
Call: 01422 288001
Anne Lister Birthday week 1st-10th of April
“What a dynamo of a character! A Nineteenth Century land-owning, business-operating, mountain- and social-climbing genius who didn’t take any guff from any man. A woman who wanted a wife! A woman who recorded every bit of her interior and exterior world, leaving us a written record of her life and times, unmatched by anyone, ever.” — https://www.annelisterbirthdayweek.com/ Why, What Who
The festival will bring Anne Lister’s story to life through tours, talks, gatherings and the distinctiveness of Halifax’s stunning heritage sites, including Anne’s historic home, Shibden Hall, plus Halifax Minster, The Piece Hall, Dean Clough, The Victoria Theatre, Bankfield museum and many more.
Libraries across Calderdale will mark Anne’s birthday with displays, writing workshops, drawing corners, themed kids’ activity sheets and more.
More information and visiting / booking details for events can be found at the Visit Calderdale website:
www.visitcalderdale.com/anne-lister-birthday-festival-2022
Further read
Visit Calderdale: Events information and things Anne Lister related
Anne Lister Birthday Week festival
Anne Lister’s birthday celebration goes global
Calderdale Libraries Update September 2021
We’ve really missed you, please come back and visit us!
Most of our libraries are now open with extended opening hours. We do still advise the wearing of a face covering and we continue to have hand sanitising stations placed within our libraries.
The following libraries are open – Central, Akroyd, Brighouse, Elland, Hebden Bridge, King Cross, Mixenden, Northowram, Rastrick, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden. Beechwood Road Library is still closed due to ongoing refurbishment (please see below for more information).
For current opening hours visit:
https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/your-local-library
Throughout the last 18 months, we have been extending the due date of all the items out on loan. The last extension ends on 30th September. From then on, we will revert to the normal 3 week loan period This means that overdue charges may apply if items are returned late. Renewals can be requested online via our website or via phone or email to any library. Email notifications (providing you have an email address on your library account) will be switched back on so that you will have the option to receive reminders before your items are due back or when an item that you have reserved is available for collection.
Reservations for items currently in stock in Calderdale Libraries will remain free of charge for the moment.
Select & Collect remains an option for library users – login to your library account online by visiting
https://calderdale.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/WPAC/LOGINB to submit a request. Library staff will choose a selection of books for you, according to your requirements, and let you know when they are ready to collect.
To reserve specific items from our catalogue, log in to your library account as above or contact any Calderdale Library.
Update for Beechwood Road Library Users
Exciting news. Works have now begun, and you can expect to see contractors on site
The works to be completed are outlined below, and are aimed at making the space more accessible and welcoming for our communities
- Extensive repairs are planned which will start next month and continue through the summer.
- We are looking at an upgrade of the external fabric and some internal upgrades.
- The external upgrades will consist of the refurbishment and thermal upgrade of the two flat roofs and pitched roof. The rendering to the rear extension and the right hand side of the building will be removed and re-rendered. The fascia’s and soffits will be replaced and the guttering throughout will be replaced. The rear extension windows will also be replaced with double glazing throughout. The rest of the windows will be painted externally.
- Internally, we will be redecorating the water damaged areas throughout. There will also be some upgrades to some of the internal doors to increase fire safety, but the two wood panelling doors will remain. There will also be an upgrade of W/C and basin in the toilet area as well as redecoration.
- There will be a lighting upgrade to LED lighting throughout (there will also be some upgrades to the external lighting).
- There will be some new shelving and soft furnishings in public areas to improve the look and feel of the space and make it more adaptable for use by the community
- There will also be the introduction of a self -service machine.
We are hoping to be able to open this lovely new space later in the year, with improved opening hours that will better serve the community
For more information email: libraries@calderdale.gov.uk
The Home Library Service
The Home Library Delivery Service continues to serve those who, for reasons of age, frailty or vulnerability, cannot visit a library in person. We can also offer a pickup service for those customers who find themselves with large numbers of books to return.
Please contact the Home Library team on homelibraryservice@calderdale.gov.uk or 01422 288062
Business Information comes to Central Library
Calderdale Libraries are really pleased to be part of a national network of Business and Intellectual Property Centres. Operating as a BIPC local we have a dedicated space on the lower ground floor of Central Library, Halifax where customers can browse business books and factsheets.
We also have access to a range of online databases that can help customers:
- find out what type of business they would like to start,
- be aware of any regulations that apply to their business,
- source suppliers,
- carry out effective market research
- identify possible funding opportunities.
Customers can also book a 1 to 1 appointment with a business information specialist from Leeds Business and IP Centre. This will be either online or in Central Library, Halifax.
You can pop in and see us in person, ring us on 01422 392631 or email us at:
Reference.library@calderdale.gov.uk
You will find more information about this service, by visiting: https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/digital-library/business-ip-service
E-Books and E-Audio
If you are a library member, Calderdale Libraries have two different services that you can take advantage of. One is Libby (part of the Overdrive platform) and the other is uLIBRARY.
Library card holders can access e-books, e-audio books, magazines and comics – and all free of charge!
For more information, visit our website here:
https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/digital-library/ebooks-and-eaudio-books
Overdrive (Libby) have announced their next Together We Read title is Klara and The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Klara And The Sun will be available in both e-book and e-audio for unlimited access via Libby between 29th September & 13th October.
Celebrate National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day is a UK-wide celebration of poetry, taking place on 7th October 2021, and our theme is Choice.
Over the years we’ve had poetry in schools, poetry in burger vans, poetry on the news, poetry on the side of buildings, poetry strapped to the legs of carrier pigeons, and much more.
All we ask on the day is that you celebrate poetry and use the hashtag #NationalPoetryDay to let us know about it.
Todmorden Book Festival
Calderdale Libraries continue to support the book festival in Todmorden. For more details and access to the program, visit:
https://www.todmordenbookfestival.co.uk/
Brighouse Arts Festival
Calderdale Libraries will once more be supporting the Brighouse Arts Festival, with several events being held at either Brighouse or Rastrick Libraries.
For more information or to reserve tickets, see the website below:
https://www.brighouseartsfestival.co.uk/
Calderdale Libraries announce Reading Friends
Calderdale Library Service has received funding, from the DCMS, to be part of the national Reading Friends project run by the Reading Agency. Reading Friends aims to tackle loneliness by bringing people together to read, chat and share stories.
Do you enjoy a good book? Like looking at magazines or reading the paper? Would you like to chat over the phone about what you read?
If so Calderdale Libraries would love to hear from you. We are starting a Reading Friends Chat and Natter scheme and are looking for anyone who would like to take part.
Please contact us on 01422 288028 or libraries@calderdale.gov.uk with the subject line Reading Friends
Harry Potter Book Night with Calderdale Libraries
The annual Harry Potter book event from Calderdale Libraries is here once more, this time via the magic of the internet in your own home!
Thursday, 4 February 2021 at 18:00 UTC
Public Anyone on or off Facebook
Calderdale Libraries Important Service Update
You will already know that the government has announced new national restrictions for England from Thursday 5th November. This is what this will mean for the service offered by Calderdale Libraries.
Many of you have enjoyed being able to return to the Central Library, Halifax and 5 of our Hub libraries in recent weeks. We have certainly enjoyed welcoming you back. From 5th November, however, we have to step back for a while – at least until the government review on 2nd December.
The only Calderdale library to remain open will be Central Library, Halifax. This will be for our Select & Collect service only: https://calderdale.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/WPAC/HOME?HOMEPRMS=GENPARAMS
This means we are returning to Phase 1, so there won’t be computer access, browsing, movement around the building beyond the ground floor or access to Local Studies or Archives.
Central Library will be open for this service Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
All other Calderdale libraries will be closed altogether during this period.
Items on loan will automatically be renewed until 31st January 2021
The Home Library Service will still be operating and this is currently open to anyone who wants to register to make use of it: https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/home-library-service
(note that the information in the blue box is applicable and the restrictions mentioned lower down don’t currently apply).
All our digital services will continue to be available too, so you can:
- Access e-books, e-audio books, digital magazines and comics. All are available to download free from https://calderdale.rbdigitalglobal.com/
- Access 24-hour reference resources from the Digital Library at https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/digital-library
- Enjoy story time and craft sessions at facebook.com/Calderdale Libraries
Enquiries/contact us
- If you have general queries about library services, please email: libraries@calderdale.gov.uk
- If you have Local Studies enquiries, you are welcome to email: reference.library@calderdale.gov.uk Local Studies staff will do their best to help, though they won’t be in the library during this period so won’t be able to access hard copy resources.
Stay safe!
FREE Creative Writing Course at King Cross Library
The aim is to develop writing skills and to produce a collection of work.
Writing exercises suitable for novices or more experienced writers.
Starting with pair work and group writing.
Two meetings per month from 26th January to 25th May on;
- 26 January 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 9 February 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 23 February 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 9 March 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 23 March 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 6 April 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 27 April 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 11 May 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
- 25 May 2019 – 1:00pm-3:00pm
For more information, see King Cross Library or telephone: 01422 288028.
Please note, there is a 3 week break between course dates around the Easter holidays.
Dr Simpo’s Crazy Comic Day
Brush up your art skills!
Develop your artistic side in the inspiring new Imaginarium at Central Library & Archives on Friday 10 August, 10:00am-3:30pm. This is your opportunity to learn with top artists and explore a variety of artistic mediums.
To celebrate 80 years of the Beano we are offering you the chance to pop along to this fantastic ‘Comic Book Creators’ workshop and have a go at creating a crazy character of your very own. Your character, along with all the other workshop attendees, will feature within a mini comic book anthology that will be sent to the Beano head office and perhaps one day feature in the Beano alongside the likes of Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx, Calamity James or even the Bash Street Kids.
Please note, this workshop runs from 10am – 3.30pm, Children should bring a packed lunch with them.
Ages 10-14
To book a place go to Ticketsource.
Computer Workshops with Lead the Way and Calderdale Libraries
Lead the Way, in partnership with Calderdale Libraries, will be holding a FREE computer workshop on Thursday 19 July, 2:00-4:00pm at
Todmorden Library.
The workshop is for adults who have a learning disability, and their families and carers. People can come and go as they please, they do not need to stay for the whole session.
It will be a chance for people to have support with things like learning about Facebook, how to send an e-mail, how to keep safe on-line, how to look for things on the internet (surfing),how to fill in forms, how to look at videos and music….and lots more things. We will be holding the workshops across lots of different libraries around Calderdale so keep watching for dates and venues for a workshop near you!
For more information ring 0300 012 0416.
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