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.

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:

Walton Library, from Friday 25 April to Friday 30 May.

More venues and dates will be added over the coming months.

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

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.

Information on location and dates will be made available soon.

For more information about Doorstep Duets and a taster on what to expect, watch the Doorstep Duets trailer.

The Sticky Dance

Working with a new partner, Second Hand Dance, we will be offering an interactive, engaging and sensory experience for children and their families during November 2025.

Join the fantastic dancers as they shimmy through the audience, weaving a tapestry of sticky tape as well as inviting everyone to tape, stick and groove, to see and feel sound or to be still, watch and listen.  How you engage with them is totally up to you!

More information and booking details will be made available soon.

Greener future in libraries

Have your say on your experience of Surrey's Countryside

The survey runs until Friday 30 May 2025, and takes around 10 minutes to complete.

Residents and visitors are being invited to take part in a new survey designed to help understand how they use and enjoy Surrey County Council's owned and managed countryside spaces. Anyone who has enjoyed a walk, picnic, or bike ride in Surrey's countryside, is encouraged to share their views.

Have your say on your experience of Surrey's Countryside

Countryside news

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

Horley library computer sessions

Do you need help with using your gadgets or the public PCs?

Join us for group sessions in April and May where we will cover different topics each week.

Sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 12 noon to 1pm on the following dates:

  • 30 April: Using the Internet Part 2
  • 7 May: Online Shopping
  • 14 May: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)

You can bring your own device to learn on, or use one of our public computers.

Book your place in Horley Library or by emailing horleylibraryevents@surreycc.gov.uk

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

Scam prevention drop-in

Come and speak to Surrey Libraries Digital Welfare Officers to learn how to spot, avoid and report online scams.

Session being held at Bramley Library on Tuesday 8 April, from 10am to 12.30pm.

NHS app help

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!

Upcoming events:

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.

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