Blaenavon Library is on the move again. After 13 years in the former council offices on Lion Street, we will close the doors for the last time at 1.00pm on Saturday 25 July 2015 and plan to reopen in the Blaenavon World Heritage Centre at 10.00am on Tuesday 11 August 2015.
It's always hard work moving a library, but it will be worth it. The new library will have increased opening hours, it will be co-located with other council services offering Blaenavon residents a one stop shop and there's also a very good cafe on the site to add to the visitor experience.
Before we leave our current location we are carrying out a customer survey to find out what you use Blaenavon Library for and to get your thoughts on the service and suggestions for improvements. The survey is confidential and if you take part you can be entered into a free prize draw for a £50 high street voucher.
To have your say drop into Blaenavon Library this week and complete the questionnaire or do it online https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=143696910521
or if you prefer to complete the survey online in Welsh
https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=143697023343
This year's Record Breakers, Summer Reading Challenge 2015 officially launches in Wales today, 10 July and is produced by the Reading Agency in association with Guinness World Records and delivered by libraries.
In Torfaen Libraries we're hoping for a record breaking number of participants. As usual kids just need to read any 6 books they like throughout the summer to collect smelly stickers, zip tags and wrist bands. When they complete the challenge they get a medal, a certificate and a voucher for a free DVD loan. They also go into a prize draw for a chance to win a fantastic Samsung Galaxy Tablet.
So parents, get your kids to the library, get them joined up for the Summer Reading Challenge and get them reading!
Residents of Blaenavon are cordially invited to the World Heritage Centre on Wednesday 15 July 5.30-7.00pm to view the plans for the relocation of Blaenavon Library into the World Heritage Centre. Library and World Heritage Centre staff will be on hand to answer questions.
Reading Matters
I've just finished reading Rachel Joyce's "The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy". It's not really a sequel to "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry", more of a companion book.
In the first book Harold Fry receives a letter from his old friend Queenie, whom he hasn't seen for twenty years, telling him that she has terminal cancer. He sets out for the postbox to send her a reply. However Harold passes postbox after postbox and just keeps on walking deciding instead that he will walk the length of England to visit Queenie, on the condition that she waits for him.
"The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy" tells the story from Queenie's point of view while she waits in the hospice for Harold to complete his pilgrimage.
I highly recommend both books.
