Love your local library in February

During February, local libraries will hold events and activities to highlight the different ways that their facilities help people and families.

As well as traditional book loans, many of the district’s 24 libraries offer digital skills courses for adults and educational story sessions for children.

Dewsbury Library is holding a Harry Potter-themed fun day on February 4 from 3.30-5.30pm. Young witches and wizards can enjoy games, activities, quizzes and even potion-making, and fancy dress is encouraged.

The Friends of Birstall Library are running their popular pop-up cafe on February 18, and are hoping to open the service more regularly if enough visitors use the cafe.

Other planned events include curling and Wii-fit for the over-50s at Cleckheaton Library (February 5, 10am-noon), a crochet club at Batley Library (February 12, 10am), Knit and Natter at Mirfield Library (February 15, 4.30-6.30pm) and the chance for local primary school and nursery classes to visit Heckmondwike Library (pre-booking required).

Coun Graham Turner, Kirklees Council’s Cabinet member for Resources, said:-

“The sheer breadth of activities and services one can access at a local library is simply staggering. Customers can find new authors and favourite novels; join in at story time or rhyme time; search for jobs; complete a digital skills course; attend Knit and Natter or local history groups, and find out what’s happening locally.”

In the UK, more people visited a library in 2014 than attended Premier League football matches, the theatre and the cinema combined. Libraries are free to join and use and anyone can access them.

“Our libraries pride themselves on being a part of the community. People come to borrow books, of course, and there’s nothing staff like more than recommending new titles to readers young and old. But there is so much more that libraries do that lots of people don’t know about, and February – a month to love your library - gives the service a chance to shout about those other services too!” added Coun Turner.

Huddersfield’s libraries are also getting involved. The month kicks off with a fascinating history talk about architecture, shops, people and books in Kirklees’s past at Golcar Library (February, 7pm).

Kirkburton Library staff have arranged some secret surprises for readers with their ‘Blind Date with a Book’ day. A number of mystery books have been wrapped to be handed over to library users who want to take a chance and discover something new on February 13. Contact individual libraries to book places by visiting www.kirklees.gov.uk/leisure/libraries.