The gift of a good book
This festive season, Gateshead Libraries are encouraging people of all ages to get reading.
As part of the Northern Children's Book Festival, pupils from 21 schools across Gateshead have been enjoying visits from big-name authors, illustrators, poets and other storytellers. The Northern Children's Book Festival takes place every November and aims to inspire children to use their imagination and get creative. This year, sessions ranged from traditional book readings to lively, musical and just plain silly activities!
Elys Dolan
Gateshead Libraries with Kristina Stephenson at Front Street Primary
Joshua Seigal
Kristina Stephenson
Onjali Rauf
Will Mabbitt
Sufiya Ahmed
Elys Dolan
To encourage kids to keep reading during the Christmas holidays and following the success of this year's Summer Reading Challenge, the Gadgeteers are back! The Winter Mini Reading Challenge starts on 1 December and children aged 4 to 11 are invited to embark on a reading adventure, with rewards and prizes on offer for continuing to read for pleasure outside of school term time. With activity ideas and resources, the Winter Mini Reading Challenge will help to spark children's curiosity about the world around them, inspiring them through creativity and invention.
Children can take part for free online or in libraries, and as rising costs continue to make things difficult for many families, the libraries service is also gifting over 2500 books to children across Gateshead through schools and food banks. This is part of the Council's efforts to ensure all children have a present to open this Christmas.
Reading is important for adults too - it's good for keeping our brains active and with the cost of living causing stress and anxiety for many people, the escapism and enjoyment of losing yourself in a good book is more welcome than ever. It's completely free to join the library and you can borrow up to 20 books at a time. You'll find a brilliant range of books from crime thrillers to cookery books and everything in between.
Don't forget, all Gateshead Libraries are registered Warm Spaces. Everyone who is looking for somewhere to stay warm this winter is welcomed without judgement and treated with dignity and respect. Of course, libraries are perfect places to sit and read, but whether you're reading or not, you're still welcome to come along and use the free wifi, charge your devices and perhaps enjoy a hot drink. You don't need to be a member to visit our libraries.
If you prefer to read at home or if it's difficult for you to travel to your local library, there are other ways for you to enjoy the books on offer. Library members can access thousands of eBooks and audiobooks through Borrowbox, a free app that you can download to your own e-reader, tablet or smartphone.
We can also bring the library to you through our Readers at Home service, in partnership with the Royal Voluntary Service. Users of the free service enjoy a selection of books and audiobooks delivered to their home, carefully chosen based on their favourite genres. To find out more about Readers at Home, call 0191 433 6415.
This festive season, Gateshead Libraries are encouraging people of all ages to get reading.
As part of the Northern Children's Book Festival, pupils from 21 schools across Gateshead have been enjoying visits from big-name authors, illustrators, poets and other storytellers. The Northern Children's Book Festival takes place every November and aims to inspire children to use their imagination and get creative. This year, sessions ranged from traditional book readings to lively, musical and just plain silly activities!
Elys Dolan
Gateshead Libraries with Kristina Stephenson at Front Street Primary
Joshua Seigal
Kristina Stephenson
Onjali Rauf
Will Mabbitt
Sufiya Ahmed
Elys Dolan
To encourage kids to keep reading during the Christmas holidays and following the success of this year's Summer Reading Challenge, the Gadgeteers are back! The Winter Mini Reading Challenge starts on 1 December and children aged 4 to 11 are invited to embark on a reading adventure, with rewards and prizes on offer for continuing to read for pleasure outside of school term time. With activity ideas and resources, the Winter Mini Reading Challenge will help to spark children's curiosity about the world around them, inspiring them through creativity and invention.
Children can take part for free online or in libraries, and as rising costs continue to make things difficult for many families, the libraries service is also gifting over 2500 books to children across Gateshead through schools and food banks. This is part of the Council's efforts to ensure all children have a present to open this Christmas.
Reading is important for adults too - it's good for keeping our brains active and with the cost of living causing stress and anxiety for many people, the escapism and enjoyment of losing yourself in a good book is more welcome than ever. It's completely free to join the library and you can borrow up to 20 books at a time. You'll find a brilliant range of books from crime thrillers to cookery books and everything in between.
Don't forget, all Gateshead Libraries are registered Warm Spaces. Everyone who is looking for somewhere to stay warm this winter is welcomed without judgement and treated with dignity and respect. Of course, libraries are perfect places to sit and read, but whether you're reading or not, you're still welcome to come along and use the free wifi, charge your devices and perhaps enjoy a hot drink. You don't need to be a member to visit our libraries.
If you prefer to read at home or if it's difficult for you to travel to your local library, there are other ways for you to enjoy the books on offer. Library members can access thousands of eBooks and audiobooks through Borrowbox, a free app that you can download to your own e-reader, tablet or smartphone.
We can also bring the library to you through our Readers at Home service, in partnership with the Royal Voluntary Service. Users of the free service enjoy a selection of books and audiobooks delivered to their home, carefully chosen based on their favourite genres. To find out more about Readers at Home, call 0191 433 6415.
