Our biggest children's event, the Summer Reading Challenge, has launched and we're delighted that so many children have already signed up! It runs until Saturday 9 September, so there is still plenty of time to register and collect a free activity pack. However stocks are limited, so call in and see us soon so you don't miss out.

The Swinpups have arrived and are proving to be very popular. We also have some fantastic free family events this month, and the Swindon Museums Team are dropping in to Central Library with some wonderful workshops. We hope you can join us.

Whether you're going away, or staying at home, we hope you have a lovely summer!

More than 30 larger than life balloon dog sculptures – the Swindogs – have been unleashed across Swindon.

You’ll discover them barking along a free and family-friendly Big Dog Art Trail around some of Swindon’s finest landmarks, streets, parks and public spaces. 

There are also more than 40 Swinpups joining the trail - just like the Swindogs but a bit smaller. 

Local schools, nurseries and youth groups have decorated each one, and 24 of them have made their way to Central Library, North Swindon Library and West Swindon Library. They will be with us all summer, so 'pup' along to see them.  

King William Street CE Primary School, Crowdys School and Colebrook Junior School are jointly exhibiting some of their art relating to the Take One Picture art programme. 

Run by The National Gallery, a picture is chosen annually from their collection to inspire a lifelong love of art and learning through cross-curricular work within primary schools.  

This year's picture, Henri Rousseau's Surprised!, has been the inspiration for creative work including art and literacy at the three Swindon schools.

The free exhibition is running until Thursday 31 August.

Welcoming and embracing diversity

The Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre are excited to announce the launch of their latest exhibition at Central Library, showcasing the creative expressions produced by the DigiCreative Heritage Project. 

The Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre and project partners worked with a wonderful group of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs who shared a passion for heritage. 

The group discovered items in the History Centre’s collections that spoke to them, and using the items as inspiration, worked with creative practitioners to create this wonderfully varied, interesting and inspiring exhibition which includes digital animation alongside 2D and 3D artworks.

The free exhibition is running until Thursday 31 August.

Many of our regular events continue to run throughout the summer.

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.

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.

The theme of this year's Heritage Open Days is Creativity Unwrapped. In response, our Local Studies team will be delivering a talk and we want YOU to help design it!

Send us your questions about Swindon's history, serious or silly. We will research them, and try to answer as many as possible in our talk.

Email your questions to us at localstudies@swindon.gov.uk.

The free talk will be held at 7pm on Friday 15 September at Central Library.

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.  

See all of our eResources here.

Whether you're staying close to home, or holidaying away this summer, catch up on your reading with Borrowbox.

The very best eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers are available all in one app.

New titles are added to our collection on a regular basis so take a look - simply download the BorrowBox app and register with your Library card, to read online and enjoy wherever you are.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Joining the Summer Reading Challenge in Swindon
Children can sign-up at any Swindon Library throughout the summer holidays. It’s free to take part! Find out more here.

Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
We encourage as many children as possible to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge, and thanks to Swindon Stories we have a helpful guide for children with SEND, showing alternative ways to participate. Look out for our free, Interactive Story Performances for Children with SEND on 8th and 15th August. More details here.

Fun Family Activities
Whilst the Summer Reading Challenge pack is all about children keeping up with their reading over the holidays, Swindon Libraries have events planned to support sport and play too! Check out our free activities here.

Competitions
Our wonderful Children’s Library Patron, and award-winning author and illustrator Steve Antony, has created his annual art competition with an invitation to a fantastic celebration evening as a prize. Meet Steve and receive a copy of his brand new book!

What’s more, all completers of the Summer Reading Challenge will be entered into a prize draw to join the celebrations and meet Steve. Find out more here.

Queen's Park Story Trail

Visit Queen's Park during August and discover our free StoryTrail, featuring pages from A Busy Day for Birds by Lucy Cousins, as well as an interactive quiz. 

Book Bingo for Older Readers
For older readers, we have created a Book Bingo challenge for ages 12 to 19 in mind. All completers have the chance of winning a £30 Waterstones voucher. Find out more here.

Community Libraries
Many Parish and Community Libraries are running activities and events to support the Summer Reading Challenge. Talk to staff there or check their social media or websites for more details.

The Swindon Museums Team are visiting Central Library this summer and taking you back in time to see what Swindon was like thousands of years ago!

All events are ideal for ages 6+.  Children must be accompanied at all times. Events are free but pre-booking is required.

Time Travellers Family Sessions: Meet the Anglo Saxons!  

Thursday 17 August

Travel back in time and visit Anglo Saxon Swindon! Find out what life was like in Swindon 1,200 years ago.

Sessions last 45m and take place at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm. 

Click HERE to find out more and book your free tickets via Eventbrite

Time Travellers Family Sessions: Explore Archaeology 

Thursday 31 August

Help unearth mysteries and discover Swindon’s ancient stories by becoming an archaeologist for the day.

Sessions last 45m and take place at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm. 

Click HERE to find out more and book your free tickets via Eventbrite

We meet some wonderful people when we take our Book Bike out in to the community and we're excited to have been invited to a special family event run by South Swindon Parish Council.  

We will be giving away free children's books, along with information about the Summer Reading Challenge, so please come and say 'Hello'.  Don't forget to look our for our free StoryTrail in Queen's Park while you're there!

Monday 7 August, 2pm - 4pm

The Jabberwocky and Other Nonsense - Calf 2 Cow present this hilarious new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s (Alice in Wonderland) famous poem The Jabberwocky. Join them as they tell the tale of our young hero from Pokeytin, armed with their vorpal sword, brave the journey to take on the fierce Jabberwock, knock his head off and save the land! Huzzah!

More details and book tickets here.

Run by Swindon City of Sanctuary, We're Open Families is a friendly group for anyone who is new to Swindon, with pre-school children, who would like to meet other families.

With a mix of chat, play, songs, crafts, and story sharing, there's a warm 'We're Open Families' welcome waiting for you.

This month, sessions take place Thursday 10 August & 24 August, 11am to 1pm.

Are you worried about rising household costs? Come and speak to a Financial First Aider.

The Advice & Financial First Aid team from Citizens Advice, will be at:

• Central Library
  • Wednesday 9 August, 10am to 1pm

Where possible, they can help you:

• Increase your income through unclaimed benefits or grants
• Reduce your outgoings through budgeting, access to lower social tariffs and savvy shopping
• Reduce energy usage
• Access debt advice
• Access emergency food or fuel vouchers

Additional dates to follow.

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 are run by Parish and Trust groups.

Whilst 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 own 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.