These books are works of art

Libraries are home to some fascinating and unusual collections – one of these being the array of artist made books held by the Fine Art Library.

Over the past few months Riona Campbell, a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh, has been working with the collection and has put together an exhibition of some of the finest examples of these fascinating pieces of work. Riona told us a bit more about the books:

“Typically produced in small numbers or editions, artist books are distributed through independent publishing houses or by the artists themselves.  Artist books offer immense versatility and options for artists to explore fresh themes or retell familiar stories with a new perspective.  By utilising the book form, artists can play with how the book is bound, the folds of the pages, and even the materials, such as the types of paper or fabric used.

Accordion fold bindings are often employed in artist books since the pages are all connected in an uninterrupted visual plane and expand out of the book’s covers.  Unlike commercial volumes, artist books are not confined to a specific page layout, typography, or size.  As a result, many artist books make full use of space on the page, filling it with illustrations, colour, or words.  These volumes also exist in a huge range of sizes, from oversized to miniscule works that fit in the palm of your hand.

The books address a huge range of topics in a variety of methods. Artists tend to utilise printmaking techniques, such as screen printing or etching, to produce their illustrations.”

The exhibition is only display in the mezzanine level of Central Library until the end of June. To find out more about our collection of artist books contact the Fine Art Library.

Bookbug’s Big Adventure

Every week in libraries across the city parents, carers and wee ones get together to share rhymes and stories. Our Bookbug sessions are great fun, incredibly popular and a perfect way to foster a lifelong love of books.

We recently held our annual Bookbug celebrations with many libraries putting on extra events to mark the occasion. There was added excitement at Stockbridge and South Queensferry Libraries, where Bookbug made a special appearance, and children received special gifts of books and rhymemats.

Check our listing to see when Bookbug Rhymetimes take place at your local library.

Win a copy of “Therese Desqueyroux”

Francois Mauriac’s Therese Desqueyroux has been acknowledged as a masterpiece of French fiction. Poetic, sophisticated and, at the time of publication, scandalous, it tells the story of one woman’s attempt to break free from her marriage and her surroundings.

To celebrate the forthcoming release of the film adaptation starring the magnificent Audrey Tatou (see trailer below) we have a copy of the book to give away to one lucky reader.

All you have to do is tell us which French actor plays the part of Audrey Tatou’s husband in the film. Email your answer to annie.bell@edinburgh.gov.uk by 5pm tomorrow (Wednesday 5th June), along with your name and address.

How libraries help learners

This week is Adult Learners’ Week. What’s it all about?

Adult Learners’ Week is a national celebration of the benefits of lifelong learning. We’re getting involved with writing workshops, singing, cooking, and facebook sessions – for details see our events calendar.

But why are libraries getting involved?

Public libraries have always been a source of information, knowledge and culture for all. They are spaces where anyone can go without feeling pressure to buy anything, and without feeling judged for what items they want to read.

Library services are crucial to adults who wish learn at whatever level, be it to improve their literacy or embark on a research project, through formal schemes or simply for the pleasure of learning something new.

Any individual can borrow any item they need, at no (or very little) immediate cost – especially relevant at a time when many people have less disposable income.

Also, for many adult learners, schools are associated with negative learning experiences whereas libraries are often viewed as more neutral spaces and therefore perhaps more conducive to adults wanting to learn.

So what do libraries do to support adult learners?

Lots! Here are just a few examples:

Our fantastic  Edinburgh Reads programme of events offers opportunities for adults to interact with authors and topics in an informal and stimulating way.

Some authors have engaged specifically with adults discovering reading for the first time. For example, crime writer Lin Anderson’s short novel Blood Red Roses, published specifically with emergent readers in mind, was read by several adult literacy groups in central Edinburgh who met the author for a chat over coffee and cake. This provided a real opportunity for personal growth in confidence and enjoyment of reading.

The annual ‘Six Book Challenge’ provides another way of supporting and encouraging emergent readers to discover the joy and satisfaction of reading for pleasure.

‘Since doing the  Challenge I have seen my reading get better. I am on my fourth book and did not read much before.’ (Sue)

’I like to read to my children now, we help each other.‘(Chris)

Perhaps one of  the most popular ways Edinburgh  Libraries support adult learners is through our LearnIT Project. For complete beginners, we provide free informal and very supportive support in using computers. Adults can attend classes, pop into a drop- in LearnIT Lab, or meet with a volunteer IT Buddy for one to one tuition.

‘I was thrilled to be able to buy a washing machine online for nearly  £70 less than in the shops!’ Joan, LearnIT student.

And of course, our growing library of online learning resources provide support to adults learning at home or on the move.

Happy Adult Learners’ Week!

The ebook everyone is reading

Join thousands of eBook readers around the world by taking part in the first ever Big Library Read of an eBook!

The Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone is available all library members to borrow until 1 June. So get together with your friends and family or your book group for a wild ride full of twists and turns, a story of love, secrets and the mysterious bonds of families.

Log on to Overdrive from the 15th to read your copy. The Four Corners of the Sky will be available to download to your ebook reader, use through an app or with Overdrive Read for reading through your internet browser.

Not signed up for Overdrive use yet? Then email your name, Edinburgh address and library card number to informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk and we’ll upgrade you.

 

It’s book award season

Lots of activity on the book awards front over the next few weeks. First up is The Orwell Prize for political writing. The star of our most recent Edinburgh Reads event Richard Holloway is in the running with his memoir Leaving Alexandria. Among the other shortlisted books is Raja Shehadeh’s Occupation Diaries.

It seems that if you’ve written a book on sport over the past year you’d be doing well not to be among the runners and riders for The British Sports Book Awards, given the bewildering number of categories and shortlists. Among the more predictable nominees (Clare Balding, Bradley Wiggins) is ex-Chumbawamba band member and keen fell-runner Boff Whalley.

Members of McDonald Road Library’s “Found in Translation” Book Group have been reading through the nominees for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, awarded annually to the best work of foreign fiction in translation. The group meets regularly to discuss contemporary translated fiction and is one of a number of specialist book groups we support.

Finally, going up against the all-conquering Hilary Mantel is a formidable task, but Kate Atkinson’s army of fans will be rooting for ‘Life after life’ to triumph in the Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize). Kate came to Central Library to talk about the book back in March and it’s been heavily in demand ever since (over 100 reservations at the time of writing!)

Those shortlists in full:

Orwell Prize

The British Sports Book Awards

Independent Foreign Fiction Prize

Women’s Prize for Fiction

Richard Holloway at Edinburgh Central Library

At the end of each of our Edinburgh Reads author events we ask the audience to fill in feedback forms telling us what they thought of the evening.

At last week’s event with Richard Holloway the same words kept coming up: candour, candid, openness, honesty.

People were also struck by Richard’s relaxed style, his sense of humour and thoughtfulness; but it was our speaker’s frankness that seemed to make the biggest impression.

For those of you who missed out, here is a special extended video of the author of Leaving Alexandria talking about his life, his faith and his struggles. Emotional, provocative, and yes, candid.

Mark Douglas-Home at Corstorphine Library

“A classic whodunnit” Allan Massie in The Scotsman

An “always gripping and entertaining mystery” Alan Taylor in The Herald

Going by the reviews Mark Douglas-Home has picked up where he left off with ‘The woman who walked into the sea‘; the sequel to his debut novel ‘The Sea Detective’ featuring crime solving oceanographer Cal McGill.

Mark has very kindly agreed to join us at Corstorphine Library next Wednesday (15th May) at 6.30pm to read from and talk about his new book.

If you’d like to attend please give Corstorphine a call on 0131 529 5506 or email corstorphine.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

 

Glitz Lit: A teen reading make over

Luisa Plaja meets the Glitz Lit group.

The Glitz Lit gang celebrated their first anniversary at Sighthill Library and launched their Spring Collection last Monday with a visit from Luisa Plaja. The author of Young Adult fiction appeared as part of the ‘Lipstick Libraries’ tour set up by the Reading Agency and Curious Fox publishers to promote her novel Diary of a Mall Girl and libraries to teenage girls.

Luisa began festivities with a talk and reading from her novel Diary of a Mall Girl in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 50 teenage girls.  The celebrations then continued with cupcakes, nail painting and a bath-bomb making workshop courtesy of Lush.

An overwhelmed Luisa Plaja said: “It’s a fantastic turnout, it’s brilliant. Teenage years can be a time when reading drops off and it’s wonderful the library has this initiative to encourage the girls to come to the library and take part. It’s wonderful to get people reading and to keep them reading.”

Sampling the goods during the bath-bomb workshop

The Glitz Lit campaign was masterminded by Sighthill Library staff Diane Yule and Lindsey Henderson as a way to connect with teenagers in Sighthill and Ratho libraries and to encourage reading for pleasure.

The project was initially launched in response to the revelation that 79% of young people from deprived areas in Scotland were not reaching expected literacy levels by Standard grade/GCSE age.  Over the last year the project has continued to grow and they are now regularly interacting with around 60 teens a month.  Lindsey was keen to point out that the developing bond between the staff and their young readers has allowed the initiative to take a more practical project-based approach.

“It’s a lot more than a reading list for girls. It’s about interacting with them, encouraging them to read and offering the opportunity to develop practical skills as well.  We’ve been running a jewellery appreciation project in conjunction with the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme and this has definitely had an impact on their literacy skills and the way they feel about writing in general.

It’s also influenced the amount they discuss books.  There’s a lot more talk about the books on the list and reading in general than there used to be.  They interact on Twitter as well so it’s gone beyond the four walls of the library.”

Luisa reads from The Diary of a Mall Girl

Sixteen year old Sophie Gorol puts the success down to the relationship they have with the staff and the friendly informal setting:  “A smaller group setting means you can talk to each other comfortably, listen to each other’s opinions and make recommendations”

Marnie Bell chips in: “At school you’re made to read something whether you like it or not.  But at the group it’s more tailored to your individual tastes and as the staff got to know us they know the kind of stuff we like.”

On the back of this success, Glitz Lit is now set to be rolled out at libraries in Wester Hailes, Fountainbridge and Oxgangs with local author Daniela Sacerdoti attending a launch event at Firhill High School in May.

To win a signed copy of Luisa Plaja’s Diary of a Mall Girl and to keep up with all things Glitz you can follow the project on Twitter: @GlitzLit

View a set of pictures from the event.

How we celebrated World Book Night

Shall we count the ways? First, here’s the fearless Annie Bell handing out books to unsuspecting builders and bus passengers.

Meanwhile wannabe pirates were solving a series of clues in order to locate “treasure” (books!) at a mystery location somewhere in Leith.

Several libraries were lucky enough to host visits from authors including Allan Guthrie, Andrew Greig and Caroline Dunford. At Corstorphine Library readers got together to share and swap books and reading recommendations.

Finally, Central Library was packed for an evening event with Meaghan Delahunt, Lesley Glaister and Alexander McCall Smith. Here’s Lesley and Meaghan with chair Peggy Hughes.

And here’s Alexander McCall Smith, clearly having a splendid time. Thanks to Alexander and everyone else who helped make this World Book Night such a success. Roll on next year!

Why we’re celebrating World Book Night

Tonight’s the night. All over the country passionate readers – along with a cast of well-known authors and advocates – will come together to give, share and receive books in a spirit of generosity, passion and mass participation.

Through its unique delivery World Book Night involves tens of thousands of people in sharing the value of reading in their communities and delivers brilliant books directly into the hands of those who might never otherwise engage with books and reading.

Here’s a film we made last year following the experience of one book-giver, followed by footage of our special event with Maggie O’Farrell.

This year we’ve got together with the Reading Agency to host another special event, this time with local best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith along with Lesley Glaister and Meaghan Delahunt. We’re also hosting events with some of our other favourite writers including Allan Guthrie, Andrew Greig and Caroline Dunford.

Plus there’s a bookswap at Corstorphine, a quiz at Oxgangs and a Pirate Treasure Hunt at Leith.

We’re huge fans of World Book night because its aims are so similar to ours. We believe that reading changes lives, improves employability, social skills, enfranchisement and can have an effect on mental health and happiness.

World Book Night is about getting books to those who might not otherwise engage with books and reading. And so are we.

Happy World Book Night.

Reading Rainbows, Lipstick Libraries and the Best of British

Here’s Councillor Richard Lewis, leading a rousing chorus of Old Macdonald Had a Farm, at Craigmillar Library.

The occasion was the launch of Reading Rainbows, Edinburgh’s first book gifting initiative for 4 year olds. Children from the Moffat Early Years Campus were joined by author Natalie Russell, whose Brown Rabbit in the City was one of the books included in the gift bags which were distributed to every child at the event, along with writing material and an information leaflet for parents.

From the looks on the children’s faces, this joint project between Children and Families and Edinburgh City Libraries looks set to be popular and well received!

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Moving up the age scale, 11- 15-year-old girls are getting ready for next Monday’s Lipstick Libraries event with goodie bags, bathbomb making and a visit from Diary of a Mall Girl author Luisa Plaja. It’s all happening at Sighthill Library from 6pm – to book a place call 0131 529 5667 or email westerhailes.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

Finally, it’s great to see local author Jenni Fagan being named among Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists, alongside the likes of Zadie Smith and Adam Thirlwell.

We’re huge fans of Jenni’s debut novel ‘The Panopticon‘ and were delighted when she came along to Central Library last year to read from and speak about the book. Here she is in action:

‘Surviving’ by Allan Massie

A group of British expatriates meet for their weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Rome. At first the drama is low-key, little more than the nervous chatter of dry-drunks and their less disciplined colleagues. Literary spirits weigh heavily on the characters’ sodden efforts to hold together lives that have cracked like old plates. Kate, a former bestselling author, invites a young Englishman wrongly acquitted of murder to stay with her so that she can write a book about him. Her recklessness ends in a fresh killing that the AA members must collude in covering up. But the lurid plot is mostly just a balance for much softer, sadder apprehensions of common disappointment and ageing. Alcoholism, like writing, is a lonely business.

Author Allan Massie is truly a man of letters in a way few others are. Primarily noted for his historical fiction he is an equally accomplished biographer, anthologist, book reviewer and columnist, and has written on everything from rugby to health care.

So we’re delighted that he will be joining us for an Edinburgh Reads event in Central Library on Thursday 30th May, where he will be discussing “Surviving” with “Redlegs” author Chris Dolan. As ever, you can book a free ticket online but you will have to be quick!

Meet the author: Marsali Taylor

Marsali Taylor grew up locally but now lives in Shetland. A qualified tourist guide and keen historian, Marsali is launching the first book in the Shetland Mysteries series at Stockbridge Library.

Death on a longship tells the story of Cass Lynch – who thinks her big break has finally arrived when she talks her way into skippering a Viking longship for a Hollywood film. But this means returning home to the Shetland Islands, a place she hasn’t set foot on since she ran away as a teenager to pursue her dream of sailing. When a dead woman turns up on the boat’s deck, Cass, her past and her family come under suspicion from the disturbingly shrewd Detective Inspector Macrae.

Cass must call on all her local knowledge of Shetland, the wisdom gained from years of sailing, and her glamorous, French opera singer mother to clear herself and her family of suspicion – and to catch the killer before Cass becomes the next victim.

Marsali will be at Stockbridge Library this Wednesday (10th April) from 2 – 3pm to read from and talk about the book. If you’d like to come along email stockbridge.library@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 529 5665.

A boy’s own adventure in Norway

Our latest exhibition on Capital Collections is a unique sketchbook of watercolour ‘Views in Norway’ dating from 1864 belonging to the Scottish author, R. M. Ballantyne.

The watercolour sketches take Ballantyne from the port of Bergen, north around the Norwegian coast up to the Arctic Circle, a journey of around 430 miles. No mean feat in an age before the 4×4 and gore-tex. Ballantyne would have travelled mostly on foot, by boat or by cariole (horse-driven carriage). At the back of the fantastically ornate sketchbook are a number of photographs collected on his travels. The picture postcard views of Bergen, the portrait of the author in his hiking gear and portraits of local people (including a Sami bride and bridegroom head to toe in furs), complete the picture of his walking holiday.

The author’s travel experiences often set the backdrop for the boys’ own adventure stories he wrote, or allowed him to imagine and describe places he hadn’t visited. There is a strong correlation between the ‘Views in Norway’ sketchbook and Ballantyne’s Norwegian adventure story, ‘Chasing the Sun’, where the main protagonist goes in search of perpetual daylight.

Ballantyne wrote around 80 stories, but perhaps only the title of ‘Coral Island’ is widely known today. Browse all Ballantyne’s titles and download the ebooks for free from Library2go and discover the spirit of boys’ own adventure. (Go to the ‘Additional ebooks’ area on Overdrive which gives free access to Project Gutenberg books.)

In pictures: Louise Welsh and Regi Claire

Huge thanks to Louise Welsh and Regi Claire for entertaining another bumper Edinburgh Reads audience at Central Library last week.

Our pictures show two authors clearly enjoying themselves as they discussed their novels “The girls on the stairs” and “The waiting” as well as their other work.

Having two authors with such a good rapport, combined with chair Jackie McGlone’s thoughtful questions, made for an excellent evening.

As Louise herself said “”Great chair and fab audience”, while Regi also described the evening as “fab”. Thanks again to both!

You can view more images from this and other Edinburgh Reads events on flickr

Four old geezers and a Valkyrie

Gordon Lawrie spent 36 years as an Edinburgh secondary school teacher before being released on promise of good behaviour. 

Harbouring a long-held ambition to write a novel, he finally unleashed his debut novel “Four Old Geezers And A Valkyrie” on the unsuspecting public first as an ebook in 2012, then in print in 2013.   Set in contemporary Edinburgh, it tells the story of a group of washed-up retiral-age men who form a small rock band and have a couple of surprise YouTube hits.

Gordon is coming along to Blackhall Library on Tuesday 2nd April. to read from and talk about the novel and the process of getting it published. There will also be music. If you’d like to attend call Blackhall Library on 0131 529 5595 or email blackhall.library@edinburgh.gov.uk The fun starts at 6pm

Five online tools for writers

Whether you’re an established novelist or humble blogger, here are five ways we can help you develop as a writer:

1. A free subscription to ‘The Writer’ magazine

“Each month The Writer is full of features you can use to improve your writing, including before-and-after examples of improved writing… practical solutions for writing problems… tips from famous authors and hands-on advice.”

And it’s free to download anyone with an Edinburgh library card – one of over 90 titles available from our Zinio emagazine service

2. A free copy of The Writers and Artist’s Yearbook

Contains a wealth of practical information on a huge range of topics including copyright, finance, submitting a manuscript and e-publishing, as well as being a comprehensive up-to-date directory of media contacts. One of over 100 free books available online via Know UK. Use your library card number to log on.

3. Contact details for local writers groups

Use Your Edinburgh, our community information database, to find out about writers’ groups in the city.

4. Free online access to Oxford Dictionaries Pro

Improve your vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. Contains the texts of New Hart’s Rules, The New Oxford Dictionary for Scientific Writers and Editors and Garner’s Dictionary of Legal Usage. Handy.

5. Learn from the experts

Get yourself along to one of our Edinburgh Reads series of authors’ talks, or watch the highlights on our YouTube channel.

Finally, bit late to the party with this one but Pixar writer Emma Coats’ 22 Basic Rules for storytelling are well worth a look.

Wanted – creative teenagers

There’s something missing in the Teenage Zone at Leith Library…

…Teenagers! We’re looking for creative teenagers with a passion for communication, media and young adult fiction. Is that you?

We need your help to share what’s hot and what’s not in young adult fiction and we know the best people to tell the world about that is you (young people). We want to produce some brilliant podcasts, podcasts created for young people, by young people. Did we mention we need young people to make it happen?

If this is for you then read on. If not please don’t forget it, – pass it on to someone who might be just perfect, thanks!

What you can expect?

• Four workshop sessions at Leith Library (1.5 hours each)
• A tour of Sonic Lodge recording studio (opposite the library)
• An opportunity to meet and interview a published author
• Your opinions and ideas to be valued
• Hot chocolate, cake and fruit at the start of every session

We’ll be working in the Teenage Zone at Leith Library. As you can see it includes two teenage computers, loads of young adult fiction books and a leather sofa. It’s your space and you’re welcome to use it anytime you want when the library is open.

What are we looking for?

• Creativity, ideas, enthusiasm and a desire to learn
• A passion for communication, media and young adult fiction

Note: Previous experience of recording and editing audio is not necessary

Who will you be working with?

Our Reader in Residence Emily Dodd will be running the workshops. Emily has eight years experience of writing and delivering workshops for young people. She first trained to edit audio with BBC radio and has produced multiple podcasts as a freelancer since then. Emily is a storyteller, poet and a screenwriter for CBeebies.

Are you ready to:

• Attend all four workshops (and turn up on time)
• Work in a small group (pairs or group of four)
• Respect the views and ideas your team members have
• Give honest feedback on this project (we need your help)
• Be willing to read or listen to an audio book by the author you are interviewing (at least one person in the group needs to do this)
• Help share the finished podcast

By the end of the project you will have:

• The skills needed to plan, record, edit and share a podcast
• Experience to put on your CV
• Knowledge on where to go to learn more
• The opportunity to come back and work with another group as a podcast mentor
• The opportunity to contribute to the Leith Library blog as an Ambassador

The podcast you produce will be shared across Scotland via the Leith Library Blog, Edinburgh City of Literature, The Scottish Book Trust, Edinburgh City Libraries Blog and through many other channels.

Deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 22nd March. Good luck!

Overdrive is changing!

Our Overdrive ebook website is about to get a complete makeover. Changes have been made so ebook borrowing is easier and quicker. So if you use Overdrive via a computer rather than an app look out for the following:

• The website will look different!

• Checking a book out will be quicker with the One-Step Checkout process.

• For most of our ebooks you will now be able to use Overdrive Read and read your book straight away with no need to install any other software or download the book. Once opened you can bookmark the page to allow you to continue to read offline too.

Want to see what it will look like? This nice American lady will talk you through it, or test-drive the OverDrive Read facility for yourself.

Our new website works best with Firefox, Chrome, or Safari. It’s not compatible with older versions of Internet Explorer so why not upgrade your browser today to get ready for the new site! We’ll let you know here when the site goes live.

For further help and assistance please contact:
Digital Information Team: 0131 242 8047
informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk