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H
OW do you honour a much-loved school librarian when she retires? The answer was simple for a group of
parents and staff at Gordon School, East Providence in the US – a book. When Florence Martindale decided to end her 30-year career as the school’s librarian, parents and staff wanted to mark the occasion in a unique way and commissioned author Mariahdessa Ekere Tallie to create a picture book with illustrator Laurel Aylesworth. The book, Magic Will Happen, draws inspiration from Florence’s three decades as a librarian and a small wooden book that greets all children as they enter the library with the inscription “Touch this and magic will happen”. Find the story here https://
tinyurl.com/IP426MW1.
Sticking with the US and a story from the New York Times (
https://tinyurl.com/IP426MW2) about claims from President Donald J. Trump and a potential change of plans for the $400m jet he was gifted by the Qatari state. Trump had intimated that the plane, which was gifted as a replacement for Air Force One, would be installed as an exhibit at his Presidential Library in Miami. News has now leaked that no decision had been made, and Eric Trump apparently confirmed that an older version of Air Force One will actually be the one that heads to Miami. Unfortunately for would- be pilots the plane will not be able to be checked out.
Moving on from the US President to pre-schoolers and an initiative from Worcestershire Libraries to help parents get their little ones ready for the step up to primary school in September. The library service (
https://tinyurl.com/IP426MW3) has prepared 100 “Get Ready for School” bags that are available for loan through local branches. The bags contain stories about starting school, helping children feel less nervous and offering parents advice on how to prepare. Libraries have also been running storytime sessions and activities to help families get ready. Councillor Josh Robinson said: “These bookbags are a fantastic way to help children feel confident and excited about starting school. Our libraries play a vital role in supporting families starting school,
August-September 2026
Mithras slaying the sacred bull.
offering welcoming spaces, expert advice and free resources.” Next to the Isle of Wight (
https://tinyurl.com/ IP426MW4) and a bid to get people moving more with a scheme that lets users borrow smartwatches to help them count steps and track daily activity. The scheme has been running since spring, with watches available to library members over the age of 16 who can borrow them for up to six weeks at a time. With summer and the good weather, the library service is encouraging more people to take part. Kate Harvey, Director of Public Health
said: “We’re delighted to see how well the scheme has been received so far. Supporting residents to move more is key to improving health and reducing inequalities across the island. “The warmer months are a wonderful opportunity for more people to take advantage of this free scheme, enjoy our beautiful surroundings and feel the physical, mental and social benefits of being active.”
Greenock Library has resurrected the World Cup for young fans with a session to help them complete their Panini sticker albums. With schools on summer holidays, the opportunities for swapsies have been few and far between. So sticker book completists have descended on the local library to help them fill in the blanks. A council spokesperson (
https://tinyurl.com/ IP426MW5) said the weekly sessions also
included the opportunity to get involved in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge: “The sticker sessions came about following a request from a parent for a space for children to swap their stickers and our libraries staff have been overwhelmed by the numbers each week. “There’s also still time for children who have been attending to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge and borrow some great football books.” Finally, we step back in time and the discovery of an ancient library at a Roman villa. Archaeology Magazine (https://tinyurl. com/IP426MW6) reports that researchers at the University of Grenada have uncovered a secret about the oldest know remains of a Roman villa in Iberia. It was believed that the villa, which was first discovered decades ago, featured an altar so that its inhabitants could worship the god Mithras. However a new reinterpretation of the remains has led researchers to the conclusion that the “altar” is in fact a shelf which would have been part of the villa’s library. Archaeology Magazine reports: “The facility dates to the fourth century AD, a prosperous time in the Roman province of Baetica when wealthy landowners frequently built monumental and luxurious estates. The library is not only the oldest one yet documented in Iberia, but arguably the best preserved private library in the entire Roman Empire.” IP
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