Events and activities in libraries

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Imagination Spaces

We are excited to let you know about some fantastic events coming to Surrey Libraries over the next few months.

The Sticky Dance

Working with a new partner, Second Hand Dance, we would like to invite you to join them at Epsom Library for a rehearsal performance of their dance show The Sticky Dance before it tours to libraries in 2025.

This is a free event designed for children aged 3 to 7 and their families.

Two dancers will shimmy through the audience, weaving a tapestry of sticky tape in this tactile dance performance for young children. They will invite you to explore freely, to stick and groove or be still, watch and listen.

The Sticky Dance is an interactive, engaging and colourful performance installation, offering a welcoming, inclusive space for young children to interact with dance in their own unique way.

Two performances will take place at Epsom Library on Saturday 7 June. Select a performance time and book online:

If unable to book online, please book in Epsom Library.

In the Margins art exhibition – touring Surrey Libraries

Working in partnership with Disability Arts in Surrey (DAiSY), Artist Jon Adams, and several of DAiSY's member organisations (Art Matters, Bloomin' Arts and The Orpheus Centre), they created a fantastic collection of artworks that were installed at Reigate Library for over 2 months. 'In the Margins' aims to empower marginalised disabled artists and share their life experiences. The project tells their life stories, explores their passions, and highlights places where they feel a sense of belonging. Visitors are invited to explore these stories, promoting understanding, empathy, and inclusion.

DAiSY and the project "In The Margins"

After the successful exhibition at Reigate library, we felt this amazing exhibition needed to be shared with others in Surrey so we have spent a few months creating a display and deciding which pieces could be included in a tour around a few of our libraries.

Tour Schedule

The Exhibition is now on Tour! It will be visiting many of our libraries across the whole of Surrey over the next few months.

Venues and dates:

More dates to be confirmed.

Seed Dance performances

During June and July, Made by Katie Green is returning to 6 of our libraries to bring you Seed, a dance performance for libraries, inspired by nature and the world around us.

Come and meet Kid and Pinto, two Seedologists on the look-out for new specimens.

Together they follow the journey of a mysterious new seed that has appeared in the library, watching it transform as it travels through the four seasons.

A playful, interactive adventure for everyone, inspired by nature and the world around us. Devised collaboratively with groups of children aged 18 months to 4 years old and their families in Surrey and Hillingdon.

The performance will be followed by a seed planting workshop.

This event is aimed at children up to 6 years, however all children are welcome!

Spaces are limited so booking is essential:

Book tickets for Seed performances

Find out more by watching the Seed trailer.

The Story Detectives

The Story Detectives, created by Made by Katie Green is an interactive dance adventure to find the Most Important Story and we are very excited to let you know it will be returning to 4 of our libraries during the summer.

Are you brave? Ready for adventure? Fabulous at finding letters? Then why not join Story Detectives, Playful and Particular, as they journey round your local library collecting letters, solving clues, and building an adventure story.

It will take children and their families on an imaginative journey through the library to discover different kinds of books, from a detective book to an adventure book, a dictionary to a fairy tale. It is aimed at children 3+ years and their grownups, however all children are welcome!

Spaces are limited so booking is essential:

Book tickets for The Story Detectives

Find out more by watching The Story Detectives trailer.

Doorstep Duets 2025

We are very excited to confirm that Doorstep Duets, presented by Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, will be returning for a fourth year to Surrey Libraries and communities in July, bringing the joy and wonder of dance.

Doorstep Duets, presented by Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, is coming back to Surrey Libraries for a fourth year, bringing the joy and wonder of dance to communities across the South East.

This year’s performance, My Feet Don’t Quite Touch the Floor, has been created by choreographer Shelby Williams.  

Have you ever let your mind wander? Lost in a daydream, what did you wonder? This  imaginative story is inspired by the experiences of two legendary dancers at the beginning of their own dance journeys. It was their ability to seek their own paths and let their minds wander that inspired their extraordinary careers.  

When we embrace wonder, we unleash possibility and creativity. What colour is your imagination?

If you’ have never seen a dance show before, this could be the perfect opportunity. The performance is free, just 20 minutes long and you don’t need to book, just turn up.

Performance dates, times and venues

We look forward to seeing you at one of the performances!

See the Doorstep Duets website for mote information and other tour dates.

Greener future in libraries

The Great Big Green Week

Libraries will be hosting a number of events in celebration of The Great Big Green Week, 7 June to 15 June. Please select a library from the list below to find out more about their events. We will be adding more libraries once events have been confirmed.

Regular green events in libraries

Monthly Tuesdays:

Cranleigh Climate Action and Cranleigh Library climate cafe will be available to provide energy advice and see what financial support is available to help with energy bills.

Every Wednesday:

What next? Wednesdays at Godalming library. Volunteers from What Next? charity will be on-hand to provide advice, guidance and helpful tips in what you can do to support our local environment.

Saturdays:

Monthly Nature storytime at Guildford library. Suitable for 2 years old and over.

Green reads

We've specially selected some titles exploring the natural world, environmental issues and sustainability.

World around us eBooks on Libby

Step into nature eAudio books on BorrowBox

Library of Things

Why buy when you can borrow!

We are pleased to support a number of Libraries of Things across our network. Allowing users to borrow everything from garden tools, sports and exercise equipment, table top games to camping equipment

Each library is run by a local environmental organisation and hosted in the library, providing easy access to this great service.

You can find a Library of Things in the following locations:

Biodegradable eco library cards

Crafted from environmentally friendly materials, these cards not only reduce waste but also contribute to the preservation of our planet. By opting for these compostable and recyclable cards, library-goers become part of a growing movement to protect the environment and foster sustainable practices.

Surrey's greener future

The Surrey Energy advice tool, will help you by asking a series of short questions and depending on the answers will offer tailored information on grants, support and advice, and non-financial help on a range of topics

Find out more about Surrey's Greener Future, Surrey County Council's climate change strategy.

Surrey's Greener Future

Grants of up to £25,000 are now available for eligible Surrey residents to help make their homes warmer and more energy efficient. Read more about the grant funding available to Surrey residents.

Sign up to our Greener Matters newsletter to get updates.

Our climate change newsletter

Author events

Surrey Libraries are pleased to offer a programme of author events for 2025. Select an event to find out more and how to book.

Digital welfare support

The Digital Welfare Support Project is a community outreach program that is closing the digital divide and reducing isolation in Surrey.

We aim to do this by identifying and targeting areas of the county where digital deprivation is highest, cultivating community links and providing IT skills sessions to those most in need. Our experienced and dedicated Digital Welfare Support Officers, Alys and Eleanor, are putting together a programme of events and opportunities to offer foundational knowledge of essential digital skills.

Upcoming events

NHS app help

Thursday 12 June from 10 am until 4pm at Dorking library.

Heard how great the NHS App is, but still not sure where to start or how to use it? Then come along to our drop-in sessions to get help from one of our friendly advisors. We can help with:

  • Setting up your NHS Account
  • Downloading the NHS App on to your phone, or accessing it on your tablet or laptop
  • Using it to order repeat prescriptions in seconds
  • How to view your health record on the App
  • How to view your test results
  • Any other NHS App questions!

Please bring your phone/tablet/laptop or if you don't have any of these, public PCs will be available. If it is your first time using the app, you will need to bring ID with you to register for it. These are the accepted forms of ID for registration:

  • Passport
  • UK or European Driving License (Full or Provisional)
  • European National Identity Card
  • Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), UK Residence Card, or European Economic Area (EEA) Biometric Residence Card (BRC).

Digital Skills workshops at Merstham Community Hub

Address: Merstham Community Hub, 2b Portland Drive, Merstham, RH1 3HY.

Join us for group workshops in June between 2.30pm until 3.30pm where we will cover different topics each week:

  • 5 June: Using your Device
  • 12 June: Starting to use the Internet
  • 19 June: Online Safety
  • 26 June: Using Email

Find the online world a bit overwhelming? Want to become more confident at navigating it?

Bring your own device to learn on, or let us know whether you need to borrow a device (a laptop may be available to use).

Book your place with Merstham Community Hub:

  • In person at the hub reception
  • By telephone call to 01737 333461
  • Or by email to info@mcft.org.uk.

You are welcome to come to more than one session, just make sure to reserve your place for each session.

Pebble rhymetime

Rhymetimes are now running in most libraries. Spaces may be limited and booking may be necessary, please check individual library event pages for details.

Storytime

Storytimes are currently back up and running in most libraries. Spaces may be limited and booking may be necessary, please check individual library event pages for details.

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