Wolverhampton's libraries are celebrating National Libraries Week, beginning on Monday, with a host of free activities over the next few days.

The theme for this year's event is wellbeing, and many of the sessions in the wide ranging programme tie into this.

Councillor John Reynolds, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "We are delighted to present a variety of activities for National Libraries Week which celebrates the fact that libraries are not just about books, but are places where people can improve their wellbeing, pursue a hobby, brush up on their IT skills, find a job or simply have some fun."

The timetable is as follows:

Monday 8 October

  • Wellbeing check with Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Warstones Library, 12pm to 2pm.
  • Readers Group, Wednesfield Library, 2pm to 3pm.
  • Readers Group, Warstones Library, 5.45pm to 6.45pm.
  • Mood Boosters Tea & Chat with Tettenhall Readers Group, Tettenhall Library, 6pm to 7pm.

Tuesday 9 October

  • Knit and natter coffee morning, East Park Library, 10am to 12pm.
  • Wellbeing check with Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Penn Library, 10am to 12pm.
  • Rhyme time (for under 5s), Pendeford Library, 10.30am to 11am.
  • Diddy Dance Baby Booktime Special (for under 3s), Central Children's Library, 10.30am to 11.30am.
  • Police surgery, Bilston Library, 10.30am to 12.30pm.
  • Storytime Special, We're going on a Bear Hunt yoga-style (for under 5s), Warstones Library, 2.30pm to 3pm.

Wednesday 10 October

  • Baby Booktime (for under 3s), Finchfield Library, 10.30am to 11am.
  • Rhyme Time (for under 5s), Bilston Library, 11am to 12pm.

Thursday 11 October

  • Official launch of new Rhyme Time session (for under 5s), Penn Library, 10.30am to 11am.
  • Digital Skills Workshop in partnership with Lloyds Bank, Central Library, 10.30am to 12.30pm.
  • Wellbeing check with Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Wednesfield Library 12pm to 2pm.
  • Tea with local author Gina Baines, Penn Library, 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
  • Teen Group (for 13-16-year-olds), Central Children's Library, 5pm to 6pm.
  • Book launch by local poet Roy MacFarlene, Central Library, 6pm to 7pm.

Friday 12 October

  • Baby Booktime (for under 3s), Spring Vale Library, 10am to 11am.
  • Rhyme Time, Tettenhall Library, 10.15am to 10.45am.
  • Music, Rhythm and Rhymes (for under 5s), Whitmore Reans Library, 2.15pm to 2.45pm.
  • MacMillan Coffee Morning, Warstones library, 10.30am to 12pm.

Saturday 13 October

  • Storytime (for over 5s), Central Children's Library, 12.15pm to 1pm.

Central Library is also hosting Coffee and Chat from 10.30am to 2pm on Wednesday (10 October), which is World Mental Health Day.

The event will highlight support available to help people improve their mental health and wellbeing from organisations including the Community Support Service, Carer Support Team, Starfish Social Hub, Terrence Higgins Trust, St George's Hub, HeadStart Wolverhampton, The Haven, the Children's Society and Wolverhampton Healthy Minds.

Visitors will also be able to see Central Library's Reading Well for Mental Health book collection, which includes a variety of titles to help people manage common mental health conditions or deal with difficult feelings and experiences.

Meanwhile, members of the Community Support Service and the Carer Support Team will be holding Talking Points sessions at Penn Library on Tuesday (9 October) from 11am to 12.30pm, Low Hill Library on Thursday (11 October) from 2.30pm to -4pm and Long Knowle Library from Friday (12 October) from 3pm to 4.30pm. The Talking Points sessions give people the opportunity to speak face to face to members of the Community Support Service and Carer Support Team and find out more about services and support groups available in the local community.

Councillor Reynolds added: "There's something for everyone, and many of the events link with this year's theme of wellbeing - for instance Tettenhall Readers Group will be holding an extra meeting to discuss books they love and boost their moods over a cuppa, Warstones Library will be hosting a MacMillan Coffee morning and the Black Country NHS Partnership will be offering wellness checks at various libraries."

It's free to join Wolverhampton's libraries. For more information, please visit Type=articles;Articleid=1703;Title=Libraries;.

National Libraries Week is organised by CILIP, the library and information association. This year's week focuses on wellbeing, with libraries across the country are showcasing how they bring communities together, combat loneliness, provide a space for reading and creativity and support people with their mental health.

For more information, please visit Type=links;Linkid=9684;Title=Libraries Week;Target=_blank;.

​The City of Wolverhampton Council's #WolvesWellbeing campaign will be showcase a wide range of support available to help people in Wolverhampton improve their health and wellbeing on Twitter all next week. Follow @WolvesCouncil or using the hashtag #WolvesWellbeing.

  • released: Friday 5 October, 2018