Dads' Story-times - Saturday afternoons - kick off 2.15!

In addition to our Monday afternoon pre-school story-times (re-starting on 8 September) we thought it would make a change to have to have a Saturday afternoon pre-school story-time also starting at 2.15 that will give Dads a chance to bring their children to the library for a story. Unlike our weekly Monday story-times these will probably be fortnightly and will start on Saturday 6 September. Look out for more details in the library.

Summer Reading Challenge for youngsters: ‘Team Read’

The 2008 Summer Reading Challenge takes a sporting theme to encourage children to get active and get reading. The emphasis this year is on games rather than craft activities, to tie in with the sports theme.

See right for details of events. Most events are free BUT please ask for a ticket in advance.

In addition we are running our usual Reading Challenge: read 6 books over the summer holidays to get a certificate and medal and lots more prizes!

2008 National year of Reading – August- Sport

Back in May we ran over 20 events on a Health theme. In August the theme is Sport and we are pleased to host a series of Sporting-themed events. If you run a sports club and would like to come along on another Saturday please let us know. In addition we will be mounting book displays and reading lists relating to sport.

Look out for our Football event at half term on Saturday 1 November

Thornbury Library links up with Four Towns & Vale Link Community Transport

We are looking into the possibility of bringing housebound people directly to the Library by forming a partnership with Four Towns & Vale Link Community Transport.

This is still very much in the early planning stages and anyone interested in using this service would need a Diamond Travel Card. We can help you obtain one of these and you can also nominate a friend/helper to travel with you who could also travel for free.

If you are housebound and would be interested in using this service then please contact Thornbury Library on 01454 868006 or get a friend/neighbour to ask on your behalf.

We also currently operate a housebound service using friendly volunteers who deliver library books to housebound people in their own homes. If you would like to use this service then please once again contact Thornbury Library on 01454 868006.

Echoes from the Front Line: A collection of Local People's WW2 Memories edited by Jackie Ashman

Available now from Thornbury Library price £5.95

This is the long awaited sequel to Echoes from the Home Front published July 2006, by South Gloucestershire Council Museums & Heritage. This latest book covers the military stories of local people wherever they found themselves during WW2.

These stories were all individually researched by Jackie and supported by original photographs.

Copies are also available at Thornbury Museum, Thornbury Bookshop and other South Gloucestershire Libraries.

Overdues and reservation notifications by e-mail

Last year it cost the library service over £12,000 to send out overdues and reservation notifications by post. Please help us to save money by providing us with your current e-mail address. This could benefit you as it's quicker and we could also tell you about library events/new books etc. We are also looking into the feasibility of a pre-overdue which would save you money!

Thornbury Gazette

2007 is now available on microfilm. In fact our microfilm copies go back to 1955 but the further back we go the more gaps we have. If you want to consult back copies please contact us first so that we can confirm we have the dates you require and can set up the micro-film reader. Please note it is rather old and does not print.

Rooms for Hire

Please contact the Library for details.

Extended Opening Hours

Funding from the Hortham Hospital development, secured by South Gloucestershire Council under a planning agreement, has enabled Thornbury Library to open an additional hour; the library will now open until 5.30pm on Monday and Tuesday. See below for full details.

Commenting on the increase Cllr Heather Goddard, Executive Councillor for Communities said 'This is a small step in the right direction, through opening later it will enable young people and people who work during the day greater access to the service'.

Premium DVDs

We have a Premium DVD service. This includes the very latest DVDs which can be hired for £3 per week. Please note these DVDs cannot be renewed or reserved. Click here to see the latest films available.

Pre-school story-time and musical rhyme time

We hold a weekly story time on Monday afternoons from 2.15pm-2.45pm and a monthly rhyme time for younger children on the last Monday of each month also from 2.15pm-2.45pm. Pre-school children and their parents and carers are most welcome to attend these free activities. We also hold regular holiday activities. Contact the library or see the events calendar for details.

Pensions surgeries
Pensions surgeries are held every Friday morning from 10am-12noon.

Home Library Service

If you enjoy reading but are housebound and unable to get to the library then our friendly home library service volunteers can bring books to you in your own home. Just give the library a ring or ask a relative or friend to contact us on your behalf.

We currently have a vacancy to join our small team of volunteers. Travel expenses are paid. Please contact the library for details.

Storytelling sessions

Our new colleagues from the Turnberries Community Centre, across the road from the library, would like to invite you to Thornbury Library for a series of Storytelling sessions on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am-12.00 noon. No tickets needed you are very welcome to just drop in.

Computer Classes

Age Concern are offering computer classes in the library for the over 50s. Sessions are held on a Tuesday on a one to one basis and there is a small charge. To book a session please call at the library.

i-POINT

This careers advice service has just been set up on our library computers. It gives you quick, easy and free access to the best resources to help you:

• Write a CV
• Find a course
• Look at career profiles
• Get help with job-hunting
• Match your skills and interests to jobs
• Get careers and training advice by email

Are you eligible for library concessions?

If you are in receipt of one of the following you are entitled to concessions:
Working family tax credit; disability living allowance; housing benefit; state pension; disabled person's tax credit; widows benefit; income support; industrial disablement benefit; incapacity benefit; student in full time education.
We will require initial proof of benefit. In most cases the concession will entitle you to half-price reservations, music CDs and spoken word tapes. In addition if you are visually impaired or housebound you will not be required to pay any charge (including overdue charges).

Oral history tapes

We have a collection of over 40 tapes which were kindly donated to us by the Thornbury and District Oral History Society. These tapes contain personal memories of life in and around Thornbury in days gone by and are available for hire free of charge.

Fastracks

We stock multiple copies of each of the top ten selling paperbacks and these are available for a 'quick' loan period of one week.

A credit union for Thornbury?

A group of Thornbury residents has started Thornbury Savings Club. The idea is to encourage people in the Thornbury area to get the savings habit. The Savings Club will accept very small amounts as savings and they are hoping this will encourage young people.

The club has a stall in library every Saturday from 10am to 12 noon. Members can make deposits there as small as 50p, and draw out their savings. People can also join the Club at the stall, and only members can save. It costs £1 for adults to join, and juniors under 16 can join free.

The Savings Club is non profit-making, and is not owned by any commercial company. It is a community project for the benefit of the people of the Thornbury area. For the moment, savings are invested in Lloyds Bank. The Savings Club will normally pay a dividend to all members at the end of each year.

For more information, come to the stall or ring Bob Jeffery on 01454 413535.

Fax/photocopying/laminating

We offer a fax, photocopying and laminating service.

Ancestry.com

Who are you? People can now find out about their family history for free at all South Gloucestershire Libraries. Through the Ancestry website, which is normally a pay to view service, library users will have access to more than 4 billion names in over 4,000 collections which includes access to the censuses from 1841 to 1901.

The new service has been supported by local family history groups. Bob Lawrence, Chair of Bristol and Avon Family History Society said "Our society welcomes the initiative by South Gloucestershire to provide this access in their libraries, Ancestry. Com is a fantastic resource to both experienced family historians and those just beginning to look into their family history"

Ancestry Library Edition is available at all South Gloucestershire libraries. Time on the computers can be pre-booked by contacting any South Gloucestershire Library.

Please note this FREE service is only available from the library computers.

Funder Finder

Are you looking for the best source of funding for your club/organisation? If so, then this is the computer resource for you. Just fill in a few simple details and it will provide you with a list of the charities best able to help. This software package is only available on computers 6 and 13 in the library. Please ask for further details. Please note this package only applies to groups NOT individuals.

Kurzweil reading machine

If your sight is getting poor and you are finding it difficult to read letters, then you might find this machine helpful. It will scan your letter etc. and read it out to you, just like a talking book. Unfortunately you would need to come into the library to use it but it's easy to use and we could operate it for you if you preferred.

For more information on any of the above items please ring the library on 01454 868006 or visit our web-site: www.librarieswest.org.uk

You can use the website to renew your books, check the catalogue, reserve items and consult a wide range of on-line reference materials including Oxford English Dictionary Online; Oxford Reference Online; Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; Grove Music Online; Grove Art Online. You will need your borrower number and pin number (available from the library).

We have a 24 hour renewal line on 08450 020 777, and can inform you of reservations and overdue items either by email, text or voice message. If you would like to opt into any of these you can change the details online, ask at the counter or ring on the above number. Please note to access many of these services you may be asked for your PIN number, please ask the staff for this.

For reference enquiries try our Library Enquiry Centre on 01454 866900 or email .

We also offer free internet access and word processing.

Library opening hours