Huncote Community Library

August 2023

• We would like to thank Huncote Parish Council and Huncote Community Association for their grants, which have enabled us to develop projects and offer additional services to Library users.
• We were able to re-open post-Covid thanks to a grant that we received from Blaby DC, covering the physical safeguards needed. During the pandemic, we offered a home delivery service of books and jigsaws, to support our more vulnerable borrowers.
• The re-opening was launched with a Book Trail around the village, featuring the books of Julia Donaldson. Despite the wet weather, many families braved the elements to complete the trail.
• Donated books: We were overwhelmed by the support of village residents, who enabled us to re-open with an abundant supply of donated books to refresh our offering. We also re-established contact with Leicestershire Libraries and were pleased to receive excellent quality books as part of the first post-pandemic book swap.
• Summer Reading Challenges have continued to be popular, with children reading six books over the summer and receiving a book of their own at the end of the challenge.
• Book Club – the Book Club continued virtually during the pandemic but is now meeting in the Library. It meets monthly on the last Tuesday of every month at 8pm.
  The dates and books for the remainder of the year are:
  • September 26th - The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
  • October 31st - Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris
  • November 28th - book to be decided
  • December - date to be decided. Christmas meeting and sort out books for 2024
    Please contact Margaret: huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com for more information.
• Fund raising – we are grateful for the ongoing support of Library supporters, borrowers and residents, who support our fund raising coffee mornings. We also sell books that are duplicated or retired from the shelves, in the Library, at coffee mornings or through Ziffit. This fund raising is essential to keep the Library open.
• Blaby Lottery - we get 50p every time you take part in Love Blaby Lottery under our name. Some of this money is being used to buy book that borrowers have requested. Whilst we may not be able to respond to every request, please do let the Librarians know if you have a favourite author or book.
• The library AGM took place on 22 June 2023 at 7.30 p.m. in the church rooms. This was well attended and the Committee were available to answer questions raised by Parish Councillors and residents. Anyone who would like a copy of the minutes please contact Karen: huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com
• Opening hours: 3-5 p.m. Monday and Friday and 10am –1 p.m. Saturday. Not open Bank Holidays.
• Library facilities: One of the computers is free for anyone to use at any session; photocopying and laminating are also available at a small charge.
• Volunteers: Do you have a few hours to spare, either on a regular or ad-hoc basis to support this valuable village facility? We are always looking to add to our wonderful group of volunteers. Full training is given and you are guaranteed a warm welcome. Please contact Karen on huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com

April 2019 Update on the progress of Huncote Community Library for supporters.

• We would like to thank the Parish Council for giving us a grant of £1,150 to continue to develop projects and explore new ways to reach out to different people and bring our community together.
• Fund raising - Coffee morning – 11 May from 10 a.m. - 12 noon in the Methodist Church Room
  Books, bric-a-brac, raffle, refreshments. Pam Knott has agreed to run a plant stall for us again this year. Items for any stall or raffle prizes can be taken to the library at any time. Set up will be Friday evening at 7.30 p.m. after zumba. A few more helpers are needed. If you want any items collected, please contact Hilary. We made over £130 profit at the coffee morning in February. Many thanks to all who came and supported the event.

• The Summer Reading Challenge will take place again this year over the summer holiday. Information will be sent out nearer the time. Children can enter from 0 to 10 years and must borrow/share/read six books to receive a free book.
• The money attached to the award we won from the Parish Council last year has been used to buy plants for the outside. I'm sure you all think it is an improvement.
• The library AGM will take place on May 21 at 7.30 p.m. in the library. Everyone is welcome. We are looking for a new secretary. Anyone who would like a copy of the minutes please contact Margaret.
• Blaby Lottery Don't forget we get 50p every time you take part in Love Blaby Lottery under our name. Some of this money (we get about £20 a month) is being used to buy book requests and books we think will be popular. We are keeping a list of book requests and several have now been bought. Please add your name and request with the librarians. If you have a favourite author it is useful to know what you have already read. We can't, of course, buy every request but try to provide ones which we think will be popular with several people. One of the computers is free for anyone to use at any session; photocopies and laminating at a small charge.
• Coffee/tea and chat - this is continuing in the library for the time being on Fridays. Please feel free to come down between 2.15 and 4.15 to meet people ahd have a chat. There will be a small charge for drinks (50p). Everyone is welcome.
• Heating – The new heaters have been reset by Jan Harvey and things seem to have improved. The additional halogen heater is used when necessary.
• If you know anyone who can't get to the library and would like books delivered please let Jan Melville know and something will be arranged.
• The book exchange will take place took place at the end of May when we return books to Leicestershire Library Services and get new books. It is not possible for us to pass on requests.
• Reminder – Opening hours: 2-5 p.m. Monday and Friday (1.30 on Mondays when there is Lunch Club)4-6 p.m. Wednesday, 10 –1 p.m. Saturday. Not Bank Holidays.
• We will be giving all library users our own Privacy policy linked to the Data Protection Act. These will be delivered shortly.
• The cub scouts will be using the library to help with one of their badges. This will take place outside library hours.
• Thank you to all the people who bring donations of very high quality books to the library. Duplicates are put on the sale stall in the library. We also sell them at our regular coffee mornings and suitable ones to Ziffit. Books are stored in the storage box behind the building and rotated with library stock.
• Any ideas for events please let one of the committee know or email the contacts below.
  • Jan Melville, janmelville5@gmail.com 2865165,
  • Hilary Comyn, hmcomyn@gmail.com 2863826
  • 3 Ratcliffe Drive, Margaret Leach, huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com.

September 2018 Update on the progress of Huncote Community Library for supporters.

• We continue to receive an incredible number of donations of very high quality books; duplicates are put on the sale stall in the library and also sold at our regular coffee mornings. Please continue to bring your surplus books to us as well as any bric-a-brac. If we can't sell items we pass them on to local charity shops. The storage box behind the building has been a great help to store surplus books which are rotated with library stock. Thank you to everyone who contributes. Book exchange with Leicestershire library will take place in October.
• The small stall in the library selling adult and children's books continues to provide a regular income. The charges are 40p for adult books and 20p for children's books. The photocopier is also available for a small charge for anyone to use. Details in the library.
• Love Blaby Lottery is bringing in a regular income (www.blabylottery.co.uk); we get 50p per month from all members of the lottery registered with Huncote Library.
• Thank you to all the people who are continuing to use easyfundraising.co.uk.
• The grants have been received from Huncote Parish Council and Huncote Community Association which, with all the other income, has put us in a strong position financially.
• The Summer Reading Challenge has been well supported this year with children aged from 2 to 11 years taking part. Several children have already read six books and claimed their prize.
• The computer is available for use at every library session.
• If you know anyone who can't get to the library and would like books delivered please let Jan Melville know and something will be arranged.
• A BIG, BIG THANK YOU to Blaby District Council for arranging some volunteers to clear all the weeds from outside the library and put lining material down ready for some shingle. Also a BIG, BIG THANK YOU to the scouts for clearing the other half of the weeds and providing colourful pots of plants which have looked lovely throughout the summer.
• Croft Quarry has offered to deliver two tons of stones to cover this area. Volunteers desperately needed to move it when this happens (contact Margaret Leach)
• Coffee/tea and chat will begin on September 7 from 2.30 – 4.30 p.m.. There will be a small charge for drinks. Everyone is welcome. We are looking for people to help with this. If you have time perhaps once a month or every two months please contact Margaret Leach
• Future fundraising events: Coffee morning at Huncote Methodist Church on 22 September. Setting up will be at 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Any help with setting up would be good.
  • Huncote Community Day: 24 November – we will be having a stall at this event.
• Future Plans: We are getting quotes for a better heating system in the library. All librarians and visitors know how cold it was last winter.
• Reminder – Opening hours: 2-5 p.m. Monday and Friday (1.30 on Mondays when there is Lunch Club); 4-6 p.m. Wednesday and 10 – 1 p.m. Saturday. Not Bank Holidays
• Maggie Wright, the village's district councillor is often in the Library after the Lunch Club on Mondays. Contact Maggie on mobile 0781545 0031 or email wrightmaggie@live.co.uk
• Any ideas for events please let one of the committee know or email the contacts below. Jan Melville janmelville5@gmail.com 2865165, Hilary Comyn hmcomyn@gmail.com 2863826 3 Ratcliffe Drive, Margaret Leach huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com.

February 2018 Update on the progress of Huncote Community Library for supporters.

It is a while since we produced an update so there is quite a lot to tell you.

• We continue to receive an incredible number of donations of very high quality books; duplicates are put on the sale stall in the library and also sold at our regular coffee mornings. Please continue to bring your surplus books to us as well as any bric-a-brac. If we can't sell items we pass them on to local charity shops. Thank you to everyone who contributes.
• The small stall in the library selling adult and children's books continues to provide a regular income from people using the library. This has raised nearly £100 since the beginning of April. The charges are 40p for adult books and 20p for children's books. The photocopier is also available for a small charge to cover costs for anyone to use. Details in the library.
• Thank you to all the people who are continuing to use easyfundraising.co.uk. £143.10 has been transferred into the library's bank account since April. The annual interest from our deposit account, Ecology Building Society, has raised £44.72
• The coffee morning in September and the stall at the Community Day raised £276. Thank you once again to all the helpers and people who donated and bought the items on sale.
• We are pleased to announce that the money we applied for from the Parish Council has been granted so we will receive £1,200 during the next financial year to cover running costs. We have also received £1,000 from Huncote Community Association which was one of the original partners when the first library opened.
• NEXT EVENT: COFFEE MORNING at the Methodist Church on February 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Setup Friday at 2 p.m. with an additional one arranged for May 12. All donations and offers of help will be gratefully received. Donations can be brought to the library during library opening times or given to any committee members. Storage, situated behind the church, has been bought to store additional books and also anything for coffee mornings.
• The area round the reception desk has been transformed. Additional shelving has been fitted thanks to Craig Ballard and the public computer has been placed in the corner to give greater privacy. Unfortunately, at present, this computer is not working but we hope to get everything sorted soon.
• Maggie Wright, the village's district councillor is now running regular surgeries in the library. Dates are on the noticeboard.
• Citizens' Advice Leicestershire will be holding a Switch and Save Roadshow in the library on Wednesday 14th March, from 2pm – 5pm. It will be promoting various services provided within the district and can also help people compare and save money on energy bills. The event will be advertised in local newspapers. Please spread the word.
• We now have a Love Blaby Lottery page and 50% of all tickets sold on our page comes to the library with 10% going to other good causes in Blaby District. Tickets cost £1 a week so if you are interested go to https://www.blabylottery.co.uk/ and search for Community Library. Any ideas for events please let one of the committee know or email the contacts below.

• Reminder – winter opening hours: 2-5 Monday and Friday; 4-6 Wednesday and 10 – 12 Saturday. Not Bank Holidays. Contact details Jan Melville janmelville5@gmail.com 2865165, Hilary Comyn hmcomyn@gmail.com 2863826 3 Ratcliffe Drive, Margaret Leach huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com.

News from Huncote Community Library - January 2018
The library continues to grow with a number of events planned for this year.

• We are now part of the Blaby Lottery and any tickets bought through our page on the Blaby Lottery website will greatly benefit the library.
  Here's the link - www.blabylottery.co.uk/support/huncote-community-library
• On March 14th, 2pm - 5pm, we will be working with the Citizen's Advice Leicestershire to put on an informative event to help users Switch and Save when it comes to energy bills.
• Councillor Maggie Wright, Councillor for Blaby District Ward and Residential and Nursing Home Advisor at Age UK will be holding surgeries in the Library on the following Mondays from 1.30 to 2.30pm. 8th January, 22nd January, 5th February, 19th February, 5th March and 19th March. She will be available to help with matters such as District Issues, Benefits and Power of Attorney. Everyone is welcome to come and meet Maggie and / or ask her advice.
• Huncote Reading group has a busy programme planned for 2018. The meetings are on Tuesdays at 8pm in the library and new members are very welcome. Just read the book and turn up! Here are the books that will be discussed.
  • 30th January - Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
  • 27th February - The Muse by Jessie Burton
  • 27th March - Lilla's Feast by Frances Osborne
  • 24th April - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
  • 29th May - The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse
  • 26th June - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
  • 31st July - His Bloody Project by Graeme McCrae Burnet
  • 28th August - Nornings in Jenin by Susan Abuthawa
  • 25th September - Nutshell by Ian McEwan
  • 30th October - The Warden by Anthony Trollope
  • 27th November - The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

Here is a reminder of our Winter opening hours. Monday 2 – 5pm, Wednesday 4 – 6pm, Friday 2 – 5pm and Saturday 10am – 12 noon.

Finally, we are always looking for more volunteers to help with running the library. To get in touch look at our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/huncotecommunitylibrary or email us at huncotecommunitylibrary@outlook.com.