We’re celebrating all things library for this year’s Libraries Week, running from today until Sunday 10 October.
We’re very pleased to be offering special events, exhibitions, and activities for all ages, both in person and online.
We’re reintroducing some of our regular in-library activities too, including ‘Storytime’ and ‘Baby Boogies’!
Jubilee and Hove libraries are returning to their usual opening hours this week, and most of the city’s community libraries are now open longer hours.
You can find full details of current opening times on our library services update webpage.
Exhibitions and highlights
Alongside the ‘Still Breathing’ exhibition for Black History Month, Jubilee Library is hosting the ‘Letters in lockdown’ exhibition in the community space.
The exhibition features a collection of poetry created in a workshop run by University of Sussex inspired by letters from the Brighton & Hove community about their personal experiences and memories from the last year of living in lockdown.
On Wednesday 6 October, there’s a Network of International Women meeting, providing a platform for women from different cultures to meet and share experiences and support.
On Saturday 9 October, we’re holding a ‘Make your own comic’ workshop for 13 to 19 years olds with professional comics artist Jaime Huxtable. The workshop is in Jubilee Library from 11am to 1.15pm - advance booking recommended as places are limited.
From 1.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturday, Jubilee Library is proud to present an afternoon of global music in partnership with Bestfoot Music. You also get a chance to buy signed copies of the cookery book ‘Quick & Easy Syrian meals’ by Manal Gharezeddin.
The library’s Business & Intellectual Property Centre are also running business information and intellectual property clinics throughout the week.
Plus job clubs, animation workshops, the Youth Employability Service, needlecraft and much more. Visit our Black History Month & Libraries Week pages to see the full list of events.
All events and activities are free, with donations to the Brighton & Hove Libraries Legacy Fund most gratefully received. The Libraries Legacy Fund is registered charity, number 1113226.
Showcasing our libraries
Councillor Steph Powell, co-chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture committee, said: “It’s fantastic that we’re able to celebrate this year’s Library Week with most services back up and running.
“It’s been a real challenge to continually chop and change our library services over the past 18 months, and it’s great to see so much on offer this week. Thanks once again to our library staff and volunteers for pulling this together.
“Libraries Week is an opportunity to showcase all the services, resources and experiences our libraries offer to everyone in the city, regardless of age, background or circumstance.
“Libraries are about so much more than books – they offer support through every stage of life.
“Over the summer we ran a consultation on our library strategy and stock policy over the next few years. We had a really positive response – thank you to everyone who took part.
“We’re now working through the responses to help shape the future of the service, and are developing a report for the next Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture committee.
“That we’re able to offer so many events in the city’s libraries is helped by the Brighton & Hove Libraries Legacy Fund. That fund supports the library service’s events and activities, helping us reach more people across the city.
“We appreciate everyone’s support to helping us continue to put on exciting events and activities in our libraries.”
