Cheshire West and Chester Libraries News and Events July 2020

Date: 4th Jul 2020 @ 12:54pm

Some of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Libraries will be able to welcome visitors again later this month. Storyhouse in Chester will open from 4 July with its usual opening hours.  Libraries in Ellesmere Port, Neston, Northwich and Winsford will then open their doors from Monday 13 July with reduced hours in place.  To ensure safety the number of people allowed inside at any one time will be limited.

Risk assessments have been completed and we are making our libraries as safe as possible by putting certain measures in place.  These will include hand sanitiser, one-way systems and floor marking to maintain social distancing.  To support the Council’s involvement with the national Track and Trace service, visitors will be asked for contact details.

You will be able to return items and borrow more via our self-service machines. You will also be able to pre-book a PC for essential tasks and urgent printing or photocopying – don’t forget your library card.

Although we’re not able to accommodate events yet inside our building many of this summer’s events have moved on-line including the Summer Reading Challenge, Adults Read Two and the new Julybrary Teen Challenge.

We look forward to welcoming visitors again but ask that during the ongoing pandemic customers try to spend the minimum time possible inside our buildings to avoid the risk of spreading the virus.  And, of course, please don’t visit if you have any symptoms.

To support a safe and managed opening the libraries will have some new measures in place:

All loans have been extended until 1 September.

Families are always welcome in libraries but to ensure spaces can be managed safely all children under 12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

A core offer of lending books is available, but it will be a little while before other library services will be available including: reservations, reference stock, newspapers, Local Studies material and equipment, seating, toilets and meeting rooms.

Some partner services will also be unavailable including Council Customer Services points located in Ellesmere Port and Neston libraries and the Housing Officer at Neston Library. Other additional services like the cafes at Winsford and Ellesmere Port are temporarily unavailable.

New temporary opening times for Libraries (Storyhouse’s opening hours are unchanged):

Library	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Ellesmere  Port	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	2pm to 6pm	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm
Neston	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm
Northwich	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	2pm to 6pm	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm
Winsford	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	2pm to 6pm	10am to 1pm 2pm to 5pm	10am to 1pm

  

Children’s Summer Reading Challenge – Get involved

Silly Squad, the Summer Reading Challenge for 2020 is here, with children being encouraged to read more books.

Children's reading can 'dip' during the long summer holidays and even more so this year as so many Children have been away for school for an extended time. The Reading Agency’s annual Summer Reading Challenge really helps by encouraging children into libraries and reading regularly over the summer. There’s no other free reading activity that involves so many children, introduces families to their local library, encourages children to choose books freely and independently, and is endorsed by parents, teachers and the Department for Education.

This summer, children will meet the Silly Squad; a loveable bunch of animals who run a fantastic fun house. But beware: a mysterious baddy is waiting to spoil the fun! As they read library books, Challenge participants who can access physical materials, will collect stickers to complete their special fun house poster. Children taking part online will find out more about the fantastic characters and will unlock digital rewards, activities and video content as rewards for their reading. Children can join the national challenge sillysquad.org.uk. This site gives fun ways to find a book, has a reading club, chat, activities, news and games.

Our local website www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/read has details of all the online events going on specifically for children living in Cheshire West and Chester as well as competitions and extras such as craft ideas and jokes. Events will largely be held on Zoom and include the marvellous Mama G, professional storyteller John Kirk reading the Twits from memory, acting, computer animation, dancing and authors and illustrators. More details will be released shortly so keep an eye online at the website and on social media.

Adults Read Two

Following on from last year’s successful summer reading challenge to encourage adults to read more, we are now launching Adults Read Two in an online format. Entrants over 16 just need to read two books between 1 July and 31 August. Choose from an eBook, eAudio book, a library book or one of your own, to be in with a chance to win £50 of book vouchers through our prize draw atwww.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/read. A winner will be chosen at random.

We are making it as easy as possible to take part by saying that any book can be read in any format.  You can also join the library online and get instant access to free online resources including eBooks and eAudio. 

And just for fun from 13 July adults can take part in the #30DayBookChallenge.  Libraries would love to know the first book you ever read, what book makes you instantly happy or a book by your favourite author. Join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and tell us #WhatAreYouReading?

 Facebook www.facebook.com/cwaclibrary

 Twitter www.twitter.com/cwaclibraries

 Instagram www.instagram.com/cwaclibraries

 Visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/libraries

 

#JulybraryChallenge

Throughout the month of July, we’ll be running a new book-themed photo challenge for young people aged 13-17 on our new Instagram page. The Julybrary Challenge will feature a prompt for a photo each day that participants can use to take their own photos and write book reviews. At the end of July, two photos will be chosen to receive a £20 book voucher.

To take part in the challenge, head to @cwaclibraries on Instagram. 

Join Online

Spread the word - you can join the library online and access eBooks, audio downloads, eMagazines and our eResources* straight away without having to collect a library card.

Simply fill in the online joining form and then email libraries@cheshirewestandchester.gov.ukconfirming your name, date of birth and postcode, to receive a temporary card number and password. 

This temporary card will be initially valid for one year and can be exchanged for a physical card once libraries are back open.

We’ve 1,000s of eBooks, audio downloads and eMagazines for you to borrow. If you can’t remember your PIN/password, please use our password reset feature. Alternatively, emaillibraries@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk for assistance.

 Please share this information with friends and family who might like access to these services.

eBooks – Cloud Library

We have been purchasing a lot of new eBook stock (for both adults and children) to keep up with fresh demand. These are free to library members.

For ease of access, download the Cloud Library app via the App Store or Play Store and login with your library card number and PIN/password. The full collection is also available below.

Audio downloads - RB Digital

To access audio downloads, you must first register on the RB digital website, then select 'register' in the top right hand corner (this will be a figure head icon on mobile devices).

If you have previously registered on OneClick Digital you do not need to re-register, as your app will automatically upgrade to the new enhanced RB digital app.

For ease of access download the RB digital app via the App Store or Play Store. On first use you will be asked for your registration details.

eMagazines – Magzter

Cheshire Libraries offer a wide range of eMagazines, which are free to library members. To access these, you must first register on the Magzter website and then create a library user account. 

You can read magazines online in your web browser on your computer or laptop. Simply log in and choose the magazine you wish to read. Alternatively, if you can download the Magzter Library app via the App Store or Play Store, to store magazines on your device.

And finally, don’t forget to check out our Books and Reading section too, as there are a lot of free eBooks and eAudiobooks listed there for your enjoyment.

To keep up to date with what’s going on and to keep in the loop with new interactive initiatives and activities that we’ve got planned, follow us on Facebook @cwaclibrary and

Twitter @cwaclibraries.