Page contents
- Other popular events and activities
- Author events
- Digital welfare support
- Imagination Spaces
- Greener future in libraries
- Library of Things
- Pebble rhymetime
- Storytime
Other popular events and activities
- See what events are taking place at your nearest library, please check individual library event pages for details.
- Summer Reading Challenge: Story Garden for children of all reading abilities.
- Living Knowledge Network
- Surrey culture and leisure
- Resources for reading groups
Imagination Spaces
As part of our ongoing commitment to connect with our community, Surrey Libraries are proud to present the Imagination Spaces Cultural Programme, a vibrant celebration of creativity, inclusivity, and innovation.
Through a rich mix of events, exhibitions, tours, and workshops hosted in libraries across the county, we invite you to explore inspiring cultural experiences that bring people together.
Take a look below to discover what events are coming up in the next few months!
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:
- Dorking Library from 4 July to 8 August.
- Staines Library Dates to follow.
More libraries and dates to be confirmed.
The Story Detectives
Various dates and locations through until Saturday 16 August.
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.
Second Hand Dance presents The Sticky Dance for Libraries
We are very thrilled to offer the chance for families to experience The Sticky Dance at several libraries across Surrey this coming November.
You will get to watch two dancers' shimmy through audiences weaving a tapestry of sticky tape in this tactile dance performance for young children. They will invite you to tape, stick and groove, to see and feel sound or to be still, watch and listen. Audiences will be encouraged to explore freely, turn the rules upside down and create their own experience.
The Sticky Dance is an interactive, engaging and colourful performance installation for children and their families. We offer a welcoming, inclusive space where free exploration is encouraged through moving, watching, listening, dancing and making noise.
The age guidance: 3 to 5 years with parent/carer. Babes in arms are welcome.
Surrey Library tour dates:
- Camberley Library: Tuesday 4 November at 10am
- Staines Library: Wednesday 5 November at 10am
- Weybridge Library: Thursday 6 November at 10am
- Farnham Library: Friday 7 November at 10am
Booking details to follow.
The Sticky Dance is co-created by Rosie Heafford and Takeshi Matsumoto. Co-commissioned by The Southbank Centre and The Place, and South East Dance.
Greener future in libraries
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:
- Dorking library, Library of things
- Godalming library, Library of things
- Guildford library, Library of things
- Haslemere library, Library of things
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.
Sign up to our Greener Matters newsletter to get updates.
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.
- The Script and the Stones: Author Talk with Francis Gooding at Farnham Library on Friday 5 September from 10.30am to 11.30am. Suitable for adults.
- Helen Taylor will be talking about her detective series at Woking Library on Thursday 14 August at 6pm. Suitable for adults.
- A Special Reading with Leona Cobham, author of the "Flying Circus" Trilogy, at Cobham Library on Friday 15 August at 2pm. Suitable for ages 7 to 12.
- Creative Writing Workshop with author Alice Fowler at Woking Library on Thursday 21 August at 5.30pm. Suitable for adults.
- Bring-Your-Own-Bear Storytime with author Ellie Pulze at Cobham Library on Saturday 23 August, from 2pm to 3pm. Suitable for children.
- Austen's Favourite Brother, Henry with Dr Christopher Herbert at Farnham Library on Tuesday 9 September at 7.30pm. Suitable for adults.
- The Ghosts of Hawkthorn: with Stephanie Cotela at Walton Library on Saturday 13 September, 11am to 12 noon. Suitable for ages 8 to 12.
- Celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen with Lucy Weldon at Cranleigh Library on Saturday 27 September at 2pm. Suitable for adults.
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
Next session dates to be confirmed.
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).
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.