Happy Birthday to us! We're celebrating 15 years of Central Library opening - on 20th October 2008. We were a long time coming, but definitely worth the wait.

This month we are also celebrating Libraries Week. This year Libraries Week is becoming Green Libraries Week, focussing on the sustainability of libraries and climate change.  

Did you know that Central Library was designed with sustainability in mind? A winner of a bespoke BREEAM annual award, Central Library has a list of green features, including natural ventilation, an efficient underfloor heating system, and rainwater harvesting.

As the nights are getting longer and the temperature starts to drop, thoughts are turning towards preparing for the winter. Central Library will be hosting another Cost of Living drop-in event on Monday 16 October. Experts will be on hand to offer advice on finances and guidance on saving energy.

Due to extensive floodwater damage from the recent storm, West Swindon Library at the Link Centre is closed until further notice.

We will provide further information when we have it. In the meantime, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates.

As ever, books can be returned to any Swindon library, locations and opening hours for which can be found here.

Fines will not be incurred for books borrowed from West Swindon library which are due back during the closure.

Books borrowed from any library can always be renewed online.

It's Green Libraries Week and if you're not already a library member, we'd love you to join us. It’s free to join and borrow items – just complete the short online form.

If you're researching, learning a new skill or hobby, or looking to improve your health and wellbeing, our library catalogue will highlight relevant titles to borrow.

If you're building your own book collection, why not use your library card to 'try before you buy', ensuring your home library is filled with only the best of reads.

If you're travelling and space is limited, use your library card to access our eReads. This allows you to download up to 6 eBooks and 6 eAudiobooks on to a mobile phone or tablet. eReads, including newspapers and magazines are available to borrow online for free by downloading the Borrowbox app or at swindon.borrowbox.com.

BFI Replay

As part of our eResources collection, BFI Replay is accessible for free from core library PCs, allowing you to discover 60 years of screen stories, digitised and preserved. 

Thousands of digitised videos and television programmes from the BFI National Archive and partner UK regions and nations film archives are available – some familiar and memorable, others rare and unseen for decades.

BFI Replay also covers a range of topics and themes relevant to this week, including pollution, recycling, energy, traditional methods and sustainable living.

As people continue to experience high food, rent and energy costs, we are hosting another cost of living drop-in event at Central Library.

Speak to experts to receive advice and guidance on reducing your debt and maximising your income, as well as tips to make healthy meals on a budget.

Warm and Safe Wiltshire and the Centre for Sustainable Energy will be on hand to help people with ways to save energy as well as providing tips for getting homes ready for winter.

Advice and Financial First Aiders from Citizens Advice Swindon will be available to advise on ways to reduce outgoings or increase income. 

Find more support on the Swindon Borough Council website.

SIAS, Swindon Borough Council's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Information, Advice and Support Service, is holding drop-in sessions at Central Library this term. 

No appointment is needed, so pop in if you have any questions about SEND, want to meet the team or just prefer to talk face to face:

The team will be in the Conversation Space on the ground floor of Central Library, every other Wednesday from 12.30-4.30pm.

Confirmed dates are:

• 4 October
• 18 October
• 1 November
• 15 November
• 29 November
• 13 December

We've received some roarsome entries in this year's Summer Reading Challenge art competition, created by our Children's Library Patron and award winning illustrator and author Steve Antony, and themed around his forthcoming book 'Rainbowsaurus'. Steve will have a mammoth task choosing the winners, we dino how he's going to do it!

Entries will be on display at Central Library from Monday 16 October - 30 October. Come along and see our exhibition of colourful creatures.

Discover what's on in libraries through our events page: showcasing regular events, activities, courses and exhibitions.

Have a look within your local library for additional community events too.

Make it Click Sessions

Make It Click is our drop in session for digital skills support and online job searching every Wednesday 10am – 1pm at Central Library in the Learning Zone (1st floor).

Support is provided on library PCs but users may now bring along their own devices if they wish.

These sessions can help you to:

• Access and update an existing Universal Credit account
• Set up an email account and add an attachment
• Access public services and trusted information online
• Access and use job seeking websites
• Formatting CVs and resetting passwords
• Access libraries' eResources

Please note: Library Staff cannot complete forms or write letters on your behalf.  We are unable to help with new Universal Credit account applications.

Discover what events are taking place this month throughout Swindon and the surrounding areas through the What's On Guide on our library home page.

If you would like to publicise your event through this guide, please contact us via infocentre@swindon.gov.uk or call in to the Visitor Information Centre at Central Library, Regent Circus. All events must be submitted for inclusion at least a week before the beginning of the month in which they are taking place.

Discover our eResources - your online library accessible even when our libraries are closed.  

Catch up on your reading, find help with your research, watch footage from historical events, or revise for that all-important test.

This year's Black History Month is focussing on the theme of Celebrating our Sisters, emphasising the vital role black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities.

We stock a range of reads written by black female authors. Choose from paper copies within libraries, or opt for an eBook or eAudio book through the Borrowbox app - all are free to borrow if you're a library member.

If you're feeling creative, this year Black History Month have launched a poetry competition, encouraging you to write about a pioneering black woman who inspires you. She doesn't need to be famous - it could be a member of your family or community, or even yourself.

Join us for free family activities and story sessions throughout our libraries.

Our StoryTimes and Stay & Play sessions run weekly throughout the school term, and We're Open Families are here to welcome you every fortnight.

More details and all upcoming dates are available here.

Working Parents with a child aged 0-11 years (up to 17 years for children with SEND) may be eligible for Tax Free Childcare.

Tax Free Childcare can also be used with some other forms of Childcare Funding and Support.

For more information please contact EY&CBrokerage@swindon.gov.uk

Get Online Week is an annual campaign run by leading digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation, to bridge the digital divide, by helping people to get online safely, confidently and affordably.

Swindon Libraries is committed to reducing the digital divide in a number of ways:

• Your library card gives you two hours of daily free access to our public computers
• Free Wi-Fi is available in all core libraries
• Our weekly Make it Click sessions, offer digital skills support and online job searching assistance
• We regularly host digital skills courses, run by Adult Community Learning.

Love reading and talking about the books you read? Come along to the Wiltshire Sight audiobook reading group to discuss their monthly selected book. 

The group usually meet on the first Tuesday of the month on the ground floor of Central Library. Books are chosen from Swindon Library Borrowbox titles, which can be downloaded for free.

There is a day change next month, with the next session on Monday 6 November, 2 - 3.30pm, where the group will be discussing The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci.  

For more information, or if you have difficulty accessing the title, please contact Wiltshire Sight on 01380 723682 or info@sightsupportwest.org.uk.

The What's on When (WOW) Guide is put together by Home Instead in partnership with the local Dementia Friendly Communities in the area.

The WOW Guide highlights some of the activities that are currently available within Swindon and the Vale of the White Horse.

Download the Autumn edition here. If you would like a large print version, or have an event to add to the guide, please contact Home Instead on 01793 232585 or email cat.attewell@homeinsteadswindon.co.uk.

Ssh … is that Christmas we spy peeking around our shelves? Greeting cards, wrapping paper and festive themed gifts and books are now available in the Library Shop. 

What's more, Swindon Library members receive 10% off all book purchases. Show the member of staff your library card when paying for your books to receive the discount.

Find us on the ground floor of Central Library.

Our gift vouchers are the perfect gift for bookworms, or for those who are just discovering reading for pleasure, offering unlimited book reservations for the period stated. 

Choose from: 

SuperReserver - a 1 year membership for £30

MiniReserver - a 90 day membership for £7.50

The price of an individual reservation has recently increased to £1.50, whilst both our SuperReserver and MiniReserver remain at last year's price, making them even greater value for money.

Gift vouchers are available throughout the year, call in to one of our Core Libraries to purchase.

If you receive a gift voucher, visit one of our Core Libraries to redeem it. Your membership will then start, and you can enjoy unlimited reservations for the time stated.

Swindon Library & Information Service consists of five statutory libraries which are managed by Swindon Borough Council. Nine community libraries are also supported by Swindon Libraries, but run by Parish and Trust groups.

While this newsletter focusses on events and services available within the five statutory libraries, the community libraries also support their local area with an array of services and events.  

Details of these can be found through their social media channels and websites. Community library locations, open hours and contact details are available here. 

If this newsletter would interest anyone you know, send them this sign up link. 

We add new reading titles, information, events and activities throughout each month. To ensure you don't miss anything, follow our website and social channels.