East Sussex Library and Information Service March 2017

East Sussex Library and Information Service March 2017 March 2017 libraries news East Sussex County Council sent this bulletin at 09-03-2017 04:00 PM GMT Library customers often tell us how keen they are to join a reading group. Our libraries offer a whole range of support for reading groups and members of reading groups often recount how their how reading groups began. One current reading group facilitator explains: When other people keep up with the soaps or Strictly and they ask me about it I have no idea what they are talking about. I want to talk about whether William and Sugar were ever really in love in The Crimson Petal and the White. I asked at my local library about joining a reading group but as there isn’t a list of groups accepting members (established reading groups usually get new members by word of mouth). The library staff suggested I start a reading group! This was quite a brave move as I am not especially outgoing or sociable and I didn’t want to form a group with my friends as – though I love them dearly, they are not interested in novels like I am. The library were incredibly helpful, I put a message on the community noticeboard and an online advert on East Sussex Community Information Service. For a £60 annual subscription - shared with all the reading group members - the library provides over 1,000 reading group sets, each set is 10 copies of the book. That was two years ago. I love facilitating our group and really look forward to meeting the group and discussing the books over a large glass of wine. Why not sign up at any East Sussex library and make use of our reading group sets, delivered for you to pick up at a library of your choice, which you can keep for up to 8 weeks.

What’s in a name? Want to find out? We have added a new title to our online subscriptions - The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. A team of researchers has spent four years researching the origins and meanings of nearly 50,000 surnames. Some common, some obscure, some old and some more recent. Why not pop into any East Sussex library and find out the history behind your family names or use your library card and PIN to access from any computer. Why not have a look at our full range of e-subscriptions and e- resources? Most of our subscriptions can be accessed from any computer using your library card number and PIN, and if you have forgotten your PIN you can reset it here. (If you want to know a bit more about the Dictionary of Family names the Guardian wrote an article). Library rhymetimes are for babies, toddlers and their parents or carers and happen at most of our libraries. We are looking for volunteers to help lead the rhymetime sessions: greeting parents and children and preparing and encouraging everyone to join in singing rhymes and action songs. The sessions are usually about 30 minutes long, with a little extra time needed for setting up and clearing down. You’ll need to be enthusiastic and able to encourage the other children and adults to join in, but you don’t need to be able to sing or know lots of nursey rhymes and songs off by heart. We will help you, and give you lots of support and encouragement. If you like the idea of volunteering at the rhymetime sessions in a library near you please use our eform to register your interest.

This month Helen, a local studies and Summer Reading Challenge volunteer in our libraries, tells us about a book she has loved: The Hare with Amber Eyes: a hidden inheritance, by Edmund de Waal. "I have read this book twice, the second time with my book club. It is a true story but skilfully mixes a family history with a personal journey, The stimulus for this story is a collection of 264 “netsuke”, exquisite palm sized wooden and ivory carved Japanese objects, bought in 1870s Paris. Many years later the family suffered under the Nazis and lost most of their possessions and fled. After the war Edmund’s grandmother Elisabeth, returned to Vienna to find that the netsuke alone had been saved, hidden by the maid in her mattress. Elisabeth’s brother repatriated them, and, in 1991, Edmund visited him in Tokyo and became fascinated by them. Edmund eventually inherited them. Edmund then set out on journey into his family’s history. It is a very personal history and yet it is also factual and detailed, and he is passionate about the intricate netsuke. It is a strange mixture of “novel” and “fact” which I found intriguing and cleverly managed. This issue divided my book group, but it is a fascinating and original book, that works on many levels, which I highly recommend. Edmund de Waal also has a web site featuring images of the netsuke and I defy you not to fall in love with them!" Why not borrow The Hare with Amber Eyes: a hidden inheritance from your local library, or download it as an eBook today.

Why not borrow a DVD from any one of our libraries this month? With lots of new awards-nominated films now in stock, it's the perfect time to watch that film you missed at the cinema, or have been wanting to watch for a while.  I, Daniel Blake - Ken Loach directs this drama that follows a 59-year-old joiner as he tries to navigate the British benefits system. The film was nominated for five BAFTAs including Best Film, and Best Director (Loach).  A Street Cat Named Bob  The Girl on the Train - Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson and Haley Bennett star in this psychological thriller, adapted from Paula Hawkins' novel. The film follows Rachel Watson (Blunt) who, after getting divorced from her husband Tom (Justin Theroux), takes the train to work every day, passing by her old home and fantasizing about a couple who live down the same street, and their perfect life together.  Trolls DVD's can be borrowed from as little as £2, and from £3.50 for the latest releases.