New online training sessions

Want to do more online? Did you know you can expert advice at your local reference library? We’ve the following training sessions coming up at Kensington Central and Chelsea Reference Libraries.

Fashion at your fingertips: Explore fashion from around the world and throughout history with Berg Fashion Library

Berg Fashion Library

Wednesday 18 September, 2 to 4pm at Chelsea Reference Library

Come along to this demonstration to get the most out of this great resource about everything fashion!  Invaluable for scholars, students, professionals, and anyone interested in dress, it includes the Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, an extensive eBook collection, a vast image bank, extra reference resources and more.

Business information sessions

Business information: professional resources made available for free from your library

Thursday 26 September, 2 to 4pm at Kensington Central Reference Library

At this session we will guide you through how to use two great business research websites which are available free through your library: Mint UK and also Cobra. Mint UK provides access to a wealth of company information including company data, directors, news and market research. Cobra is a continually updated information resource for anyone who is running a small business or thinking of setting up a business.  Here you will find practical information and advice such as start-up business ideas and profiles, guides to business support in different areas of the UK and much more.

Social media sessions

Social media: how to make the most of Facebook, Twitter and more

Friday 25 October, 10am to 12 noon at Kensington Central Reference Library
Saturday 16 November, 2 to 4pm at Chelsea Reference Library

Social media is a great way to keep in touch with people and meet new people, but if you haven’t signed up to use one of these really popular sites yet or are not sure how to get the most out of them, this session will get you started!

Bon Voyage sessions

Bon voyage!  Get advice about booking travel online

Thursday 31 October, 10am to 12 noon at Chelsea Reference Library
Friday 15 November, 2 to 4pm at Kensington Central Reference Library

If you are unfamiliar with the do’s and don’ts of booking travel online then this session will help to boost your confidence and give you practical advice about how to book tickets online easily and safely.

You can book your free place to any of these sessions at Chelsea Reference Library or Kensington Central Reference Library by calling 020 7361 3010 or email libraries@rbkc.gov.uk

Gillian Nunns

Gillian Nunns

Triborough Reference Librarian

Chelsea Reference Library

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The Brompton Blog – November 2012

Brompton Library

So, it’s our  third blog post and only about a month to go until Christmas now. I’m sure you have all bought and wrapped your presents already…oh you haven’t?

Don’t worry! If you need something to keep the kids quiet while you get on with the festive preparations, come down to Brompton Library where we have a selection of children’s Christmas books that should keep them quiet- hopefully for a few minutes!

The last month has felt progressively busier in the library as students of all ages return or start their studies – it feels like lots and lots of them have joined the library and we’re very happy about that.  They are making good use of the free computer access and wi-fi and hopefully they will be borrowing lots of books too!

At the end of October our new “Saturday Storyland” sessions for under-5s got off to a great start. I was very pleased to see mums and dads sharing the event with their children, listening to the stories, singing along with the rhymes and then playing with the dressing up costumes or drawing and colouring-in. Katie, Babita and Elisabeth, our Senior Customer Services Assistants will share the sessions along with Lisa, our great volunteer, who stays with us until midday to help keep the kids amused and engage with the parents to promote our other children’s events and the library service in general. And, best of all, she tidies up after they’ve all gone!
 

Samuel Johnson Prize for Non- Fiction- Shortlist at Brompton Library

I’m proud to say that, for once, Brompton Library was able to display the entire shortlist, including the winner, of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2012. It’s the richest non-fiction prize in the UK, worth £20,000 to the winner. As I write, five of the six titles are still on display despite enthusiastic tweeting!

Stephanie Webb

Stephanie Webb, Lending Librarian

Information and Book Displays at Brompton Library

We have lots of  information on display from different organisations, library information, council information and current events such as:

– The Nour Festival of Arts, events are still happening this month
– The London History Festival, events are from 19 to 28 November
– The Winter Season at the Finborough Theatre and The Chelsea Theatre

We also have displays of new library books, recommended books to read and displays of books on different topics which are changed regularly.

New Books on Display at Brompton Library

 Pop in to see what we have or check the online library catalogue for new items coming in.

Elisabeth Brown

Elisabeth Brown, Senior Customer Services Assistant  

Book Break in Kensington and Chelsea

Book Break groups are small friendly shared reading groups provided by the award winning social enterprise, The Reader Organisation  in partnership with Kensington and Chelsea libraries.  The groups meet weekly to share great literature with others, with the odd cup of tea and biscuits too!

Groups read a wide range of short stories, novels, plays and poems.  Recently the groups have read:

• ‘The old Man and the Sea’ by Ernest Hemmingway
• ‘Cry the Beloved Country’ by Alan Paton
• ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne Du Maurier
• Poems by John Keats, Sheenagh Pugh and Charles Bukowski

There is no pressure to read aloud, some people prefer to listen to others read.  During the session words and thoughts in the story are discussed along with what they mean to us.  Everyone has a chance to respond if they wish to.
 

Come and join in with one of the many Book Break groups in Kensington and Chelsea:

• Mondays 2 to 4pm New Horizions (50+ group), Sloane Square, SW3 5EZ
• Mondays 6.15 to 7.45pm and Thursdays 3 to 5pm, Chelsea Library, Kings Road, SW3 5EZ
• Tuesdays 10.30am to 12.30pm, Brompton Library, 210 Old Brompton Road, SW5 0BS
• Wednesdays 10.30am to 12 noon, Kensal Group at St Charles Wellbeing Centre (ground floor entrance), W10 6DZ
• Wednesdays 3.15 to 5pm, PCT Rooms, 15 Gertrude Street, SW10 0JN
• Thursdays 1.30 to 3pm, Latymer Centre, 116 Bramley Road, W10 6SU

A warm welcome will be extended to you if you join us.  Please come along! For more information please contact:

Megg  on 077 8689 8814 or  MeggHewlett@thereader.org.uk

Rosie on 078 0710 6815 or RosieTrustam@thereader.org.uk

Lost and Found at Brompton Library!

And as promised last month here is a list of strange items left in the library:

• Baby buggy ( no one missed it, as it was never collected)
• Domestos
• Walking stick ( due to the healing effect of books)
• Comb
• Driving licence
• Toilet plunger and toilet paper
• A bag of dry bread
• Lap top
• Framed old family photographs
• School bags
• Certificate