April seems to be racing away in a flurry of ducklings and blossom, and May is beckoning with fresh green leaves and a spattering of arty events at the Hayridge.
If you like art, (and even if you don't, we hope to persuade you otherwise) we've got a host of fun activities for you to get stuck into during May. Do have a good look and see what might suit you, or your family and friends.
To start it all off, from the 1st May. we will be testing your knowledge of famous painters and their work, with a free Art History Quiz. It will be available to pick up from the front desk for the whole month, so you can take it away and mull it over before it needs to be handed in by 1st June. The lovely people at The Crediton Community Bookshop have promised us a copy of a beautiful new book about the history of art, to give as a prize. If we have more than one correct entry we will draw a winner on 2nd June.
If you're feeling nosy (like me) then you'll love the chance to peek inside the studio and sketchbook of professional children's book illustrator Nick East. Nick has just finished the artwork for a brand new picture book by Amy Sparkes, The Mouse who Sailed the Seas, and will be appearing on our blog in a special interview. He'll be answering all the questions we could dream up including, most importantly, what is his most favourite cheese.
We're delighted to welcome Amy Sparkes to the library again. She'll be visiting us to meet with local pre-schoolers on Tuesday 12th May and Foundation Primary School children on Tuesday 19th May. Children attending these sessions will hear The Mouse who Sailed the Seas, read by Amy herself. They will have the chance to ask Amy questions and buy a signed copy of the book at a discounted price. There will also be a fun craft activity. If you're interested in bringing children along, either as a group or an individual, we still have spaces at our earliest preschool session so give Susie a ring on 01392 388400 to book a places.
For those of you whose fingers are twitching to get something down on paper, we have some great opportunities for you to share your creativity. Every day throughout May there'll be a big flipchart standing in the foyer. The early bird gets the worm, or the pens, and can draw to their heart's content to fill the sheet as much as they would like. We'll be photographing the doodles and sharing them on facebook and twitter. We'll also feature a round up of some of our favourites on the blog at the end of the month.
If you'd like a little more guidance to your doodling, we have a special, free Oil Pastel Workshop, with Artist and Teacher Annie Tildesley. It's on Wednesday 13th May, from 4-6, and is suitbale for adults and children over 11. Places are booking up fast, so do come and register your interest if you'd like to join in. Materials are provided, so what's stopping you?
Come and listen to a story after school, on Monday 18th May, at 3.45. Susie will be reading Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail, an inspiring story about creativity and confidence, based on a true story, written and illustrated by Laurence Anholt. After the story we'll all have a go at drawing faces, with a demo by Susie. No need to book.
You may prefer to be drawn on. In which case, Emma Cutland will be delighted to help you out. She'll be here on Saturday 16th May from 10am, to paint faces, charging from £1-£3 depending on the complexity of the design. There's no need to book, so you can just pop along on the day.
Finallly, after all this creative activity, let yourself sit back and enjoy a brilliant, classic movie. How to Steal a Million, starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole, is an absorbing and charming story of an eccentric old art forger and his honest, chic daughter. Join us for a zany caper round Paris with Police, Museums, Thieves, Cute Cars and Boomerangs. It's completely free and you're welcome to bring your own refreshments or buy them from our excellent Café.
Thank you for your Input!
Our Public consultation has now closed. We are busy assessing the results and we will publish the outcome on our blog in two weeks time.
Spring has Sprung!
Well it certainly feels like spring is here with the lovely sunny weather we've been having this week! We're celebrating spring with a lovely collection of gardening books ready for you to take on those outdoor chores that will have built up over the winter. There's a large selection of "grow your own" titles, and we'd love to see any produce that you grow after reading any of the titles we've chosen - just bring something in later in the year and we'll put a photograph on the blog to inspire others to do likewise next time round. And if you're in the mood for planting your very first seed, stop by at the Library on Saturday where you'll be able to do just that - we have everything you need to plant your very own flower and take it home to watch it grow. Lovely!
Cloth Trade Trail
With the weather finally starting to warm up, now might be the perfect time to have a go at the Cullompton Cloth Trade trail, which starts here at the Hayridge. We have a brilliant touchscreen display about the history of the cloth trade installed in our lobby, thanks to the tireless work of Penny Bayer and the Cullompton Town Team, which you can use to bring the town's history to life. And there's a selection of leaflets and activities you can use to follow the trail and find out more about Cullompton's fascinating past. Pop into the library to pick up a leaflet and you'll be all set.
World Book Night
A gentle reminder that it's World Book night on April 23rd, and as usual we have linked up with the Reading Agency to hand out special editions of top titles completely free! So if you fancy picking up something new to try, or want to spread the joy of reading to friends who don't normally visit the library, come along between 10 and 12 on the 23rd to collect your copy. It's first come, first served...
Our Opening Hours Consultation Ends This Week
If you've not told us what you think about our proposals to open the library on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and possibly later in the evenings and at the weekends, you've got until the end of this week to do so. Our earlier blog post explains what we're doing and why, and you can give your feedback either by dropping into the library in person and filling in a form or by accessing our on-line form by seeing today's facebook post. We'd love to have input from everyone who uses the Hayridge, so if you've not been in touch yet, please try and spare a moment to do so. Thanks!
Bunnies and Chicks
Have you had a go at finding the bunnies and chicks lurking in the library? They keep moving around, so we need all the help we can get to keep an eye on them. Stop by any time to track them down.
Sophie's Choice - Part 2
In our staff picks section, Centre Assistant Sophie Ross continues her account of her search for a good passionate read. Click here to see what she has to say about Jane Gardam's take on passion.
Lego Creations
Our Lego club continues to thrive, and now that it's moved upstairs it has the space to breathe! Photos of the Lego models built at the last session can be found by clicking here. We're still looking to develop the club for older children, but we need someone to volunteer to help us with that. So if you feel up for helping out, or know someone who might be interested, please do let us know!
Coming in May...
May at the Hayridge will be devoted to all things arty, with workshops, displays and activities aplenty. We'll have more details for you in the next post so watch this space!
And Finally - Wanna Winna Raffle?
The Friends of Cullompton Library have organised a brilliant raffle to generate funds to support the activities we run here at the Hayridge. First prize is a brilliant basket of produce organised by the Farmers' Market, with other super prizes too. Tickets only cost £1 each, which is an absolute steal. To get your ticket, just pop along to the Hayridge counter - it's a bit of fun and all the money you spend goes towards keeping the Hayridge the vibrant and fun place you expect it to be. Go on, you know you want to!
'Gutenberg'
