Find out about the exciting events happening at libraries near you
Great Big Green Week
Great Big Green Week (7 to 15 June) is the UK’s biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Many of our libraries are putting on special displays and events to celebrate:
- Ashford and Egham libraries are hosting a special Seed dance performance on 7 June for children. See further details later in the article.
- Ashtead Library will have a stall at the Ashtead Village Day on Saturday 14 June from 11am. Lots of ‘green’ activities will be on offer, including ‘hook a duck’ and ‘lucky dip’.
- Egham Library is hosting ‘green’ activities all week including special ladybird and bee craft events on 11 and 12 June. The Royal Holloway Community Garden will host a ‘plant a seed’ drop in event on 14 June for children 4 to 11 years old. For times and other information, visit Egham Library’s event webpage.
- Farnham Library will host a Wooden Insect Puppets craft event for children on Saturday 28 June (also celebrating National Insect Week) from 11am to 12 noon. This event is for children aged 5 and older and costs £3 per child. Sign up at Farnham Library or send an email to farnham.library@surreycc.gov.uk.
- Oxted Library is hosting several events between 11 and 14 June, including a special Great Big Green Week Crafternoon event, a Storytime with craft event and a Coffee Craft and Chat event for adults. Visit Oxted’s event webpage for more information.
Unearthed: The Power of Gardening – Living Knowledge Network exhibition at Molesey Library
Surrey Libraries are proud to be one of the Living Knowledge Network Libraries across the UK that will be hosting the inspiring Unearthed: The Power of Gardening exhibition. This exhibition launched successfully at Godalming Library last month. The exhibition will take place at Molesey Library from Wednesday 4 June to Saturday 28 June. To find out more about this exhibition and other events organised in June at Molesey Library, please visit our Living Knowledge website.
Author events for adults
- An afternoon with Alice Fowler. Frimley Green Library on Tuesday 3 June from 2pm to 3.30pm and Caterham Library on Tuesday 1 July from 2pm to 3pm. Tickets £3.
- An evening with crime writer Tom Hindle. Caterham Valley Library on Wednesday 4 June from 7 pm to 9pm. Tickets £6.
- An afternoon with international bestselling author S.J. Bennett. Epsom Library on Tuesday 17 June from 4pm to 5pm. Tickets £6.
- An afternoon with historical fiction author Louise Morrish. Farnham Library on Wednesday 18 June from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Tickets £5.
- An afternoon with local author Matt Graydon. Cranleigh Library on Saturday 21 June from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. Tickets £3.
- An evening of light hearted conversation between bestselling authors with Mark Billingham and Abir Mukherjee. Woking Library on Wednesday 25 June from 6pm to 7pm. Tickets £8.
- An afternoon with former Times journalist and author Sarah Hempel. Esher Library on Monday 30 June from 2pm to 3pm. Tickets £5.
Please book your tickets via our Eventbrite page.
Author event for children at Caterham Hill Library
Join us for a special Storytime with Supertato’s author Sue Hendra. There will be fun, stories and crafty creations at Caterham Hill Library on Saturday 7 June from 11.30am to 12.30 pm. Tickets £4 per child. Accompanying adult goes free. Book your ticket via our Eventbrite page.
Seed Dance Performances
Katie Green is back with the next Seed Tour. Join Kid and Pinto, two curious Seedologists on a quest to discover new specimens. Observe a new seed’s transformation as it travels through four seasons. This dance performance will be followed by a seed planting workshop.
The tour will go to the following libraries in June:
- Egham Library on Saturday 7 June 10.30am start
- Ashford Library on Saturday 7 June 2pm start
- Woking Library on Thursday 12 June 10.30am start
- Dorking Library on Saturday 28 June 10.30am start
Events are aimed at children up to 6 years, although all children are welcome. Tickets are available with a donation (minimum recommendation is £2 per person). Book ticket via our Eventbrite page.
The Sticky Dance Performances at Epsom Library
The Sticky Dance is an immersive and interactive performance for children and their families. Second Hand Dance invites you to join them for a free rehearsal performance of their dance show, The Sticky Dance. It will then tour our libraries later this year. This engaging and colourful performance offers a welcoming and inclusive space for your children to interact with dance in their own unique way. The Sticky Dance will be at:
Epsom Library on Saturday 7 June 10.30am start
Epsom Library on Saturday 7 June 11.30am start
This is a free event designed for children aged 3 to 7 and their families. Booking a space via our Eventbrite page is essential.
Loneliness Awareness Week
Loneliness Awareness Week (9 to 15 June) is all about raising awareness of loneliness and creating supportive communities by having open, honest conversations. Why not join one of our many social events that week and meet new people? Many of our libraries host Coffee mornings, Knit and Natter/Stitch activities (crafty clubs for adults), Reading Friends groups and intergenerational Games Clubs to name just a few. Find your nearest library to see what is going on near you.
Chatterbooks groups: reading groups for children
Chatterbooks reading groups encourage children to have fun with their reading. Children have an opportunity to talk about the books they have been reading. They can also get new reading ideas and take part in fun activities inspired by the books, including crafts, quizzes and games. We recently have new Chatterbooks group meeting regularly in the following libraries:
- Camberley Library – every first Tuesday 4.30pm start
- Walton library – once a month on a Thursday from 4pm to 5pm
Other libraries with established Chatterbooks groups are:
- Banstead, Cranleigh
- Dorking, Egham
- Farnham
- Godalming
- Haslemere
- Horley
- Woking
Chatterbooks reading groups are aimed at children aged 7 to 11 years old. Please do check details on our Chatterbooks webpage for each group to find the exact range.
Local Government Reorganisation – get your information in our libraries
Local government in Surrey is changing. Libraries play an important role in providing the latest information to our Surrey residents on devolution and the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). In our libraries, you can find printed copies of the proposals that have been sent to Government. You can also use our free computers and WiFi to look up further information and speak to any member of staff. For more information, visit our LGR webpages.
Digital Welfare Support – NHS App Help events at Caterham Hill Library
The Digital Welfare Support Project is a community outreach program that is closing the digital divide and reducing isolation in Surrey. Our experienced and dedicated Welfare Officers Alys and Eleanor will be visiting several libraries in the next few months. You can sign up for their sessions to increase your foundational knowledge of essential digital skills. In June, they will be at Caterham Hill Library on Tuesday 10 June from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.
These are free drop-in sessions, so no need to book! Bring your laptop/phone/tablet or you can use public PCs. Bring ID if it is your first time using the App. To find out about our Digital Welfare Support programme, please visit our library events and activities webpage,
