increasing service use in terms of visits, book loans and usage. Green Libraries Week offers access to free workshops and learning tasters, enabling all communities to take part. Our week-long programme of events and activities provides opportuni- ties for social engagement, entertainment, education, information and advice incor- porating all elements of the Libraries Con- nected ‘Universal Offers’: Digital, Cultural, Health and Wellbeing, and Reading.
Growing partnerships
The focus on climate and sustainability has also allowed us to work with different departments from Leicester City Council. In previous years, information drop-ins have taken place at several libraries; these included advice on saving energy, home upgrade grants and cutting costs, as well as how to get involved with environmental and conservation volunteering. We hope to work with some of those departments again this year.
In 2024 we also teamed up with Let’s Get Growing for two sessions on planting bulbs ready for “spring beauty”. Let’s Get Growing is a project to support food grow- ing skills and community food growing in Leicester City. It is funded by the council and run by national green spaces charity, TCV (The Conservation Volunteers). This
Last year’s Green Libraries Week campaign in Leicester was very popular.
year we are again offering bulb planting along with a bird feeder workshop. In addition to green-themed activities, we have maintained some general ‘Libraries Week’ aspects; these have included poetry performances, author talks and writing workshops. We’ve also supported local writers and publishers by holding ‘in conversation’ events/book launches as well as a Local Writers Fair, which takes place on the Sat- urday. This is where customers can browse stalls, meet local authors and publishers, and take part in writing workshops. Challenges remain the same: this is most- ly arranged and co-ordinated by myself, though I have excellent support with the promotional elements and delivery of the programme. Sometimes trying to engage
managers at a time of year when they are traditionally promoting the Summer Read- ing Challenge and dealing with staffing issues during the holiday period can be dif- ficult. Though my planning usually starts in the spring – something I absolutely advise – start early! And I do certainly give plenty of warning. Part of this stems from deadlines for our print brochure (and other assets) which, despite the theme of the promotion, is a useful tool in promoting the week; this is evident from our customer feedback.
Our programme for last year’s Green
Libraries Week featured over 40 events and attracted approx. 540 people and was very successful in terms of feedback. Our aims and goals for 2025 remain the same: to en- gage already active library members, entice lapsed library members back and hopefully encourage new membership across all our sites, whilst providing a fun, exciting and interesting programme of events and activ- ities – something I feel extremely proud of. For the future I’d like to continue to build
on the success and quality of our programme. Tips for anyone? Planning! Engage libraries and staff early. And then keep on until all libraries have at least one event or activity taking place, collaborate, think creatively and deliver! IP
Autumn 2025
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 33
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