World Book Night AND Shakespeare's birthday on the same day! How amazing is that?

What do we know about 

William Shakespeare?

We know that he was supposedly born on 23rd April 1564 and died on 23rd April 1616. Rotten luck dying on your birthday, or perhaps it was a wonderfully dramatic and poetic time for him to lay down his quill on that blotting paper in the sky... 'The wheel is come full circle.'

He was born in Stratford Upon Avon, married Anne Hathaway when he was only 18 and had three children. His work as a prolific playwright took place mainly in London but in latter years he returned to Stratford, where he died aged only 52. In his will he left his wife his "second-best bed". This has sparked interesting debate ever since. Personally I would have been slightly miffed. But he must have had his reasons.  'Expectation is the root of all heartache'

During his career he wrote 37 plays that we know of. There could have been more which were either not kept or have not been properly identified as his. There are 5 narrative poems and some 154 sonnets attributed to Shakespeare. 
'Shall I compare thee to a Summer's Day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.'

As his success grew he was able to contribute a large percentage of the cost of building The Globe Theatre in 1599. His audience included people from every walk of life, right up to Queen Elizabeth I herself. 

He deliberately made his plays accessible to rich and poor alike. You didn't need to be able to read and could get cheap entry as a 'groundling' where you would stand in front of the stage in the open air. His plays were entertaining, but also explored politics, religion and morality. He 'enlightened' the playgoers. 'I say there is not darkness but ignorance'

Shakespeare was a wonderful observer of people and used his skill with words to tell wonderful stories based on human emotions and experiences: love, hate, passion, jealousy, power, betrayal and death. These topics are still evident in today's literature, film, soap operas and even cartoons.

Our tastes may have changed in some ways, but we still love a good story - particularly one about human nature. Shakespeare was a genius in his field and we should never shy away from his work on the grounds that it is difficult to understand. The language is 400 hundred years old but as relevant as the day it was written.

This is my advice if you are an aspiring, 'toe in the water' kind of Shakespeare fan: Go and see a good production of a classic such as Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth or King Lear and lose yourself in the story. You could also watch the film 'Shakespeare in Love' whilst not necessarily factual, gives an insight into the writer's life and the period in which he lived. It doesn't hurt that he is portrayed by the rather dishy Joseph Fiennes sporting a full head of hair.

Happy birthday Shakey <3

How will you be celebrating?

Shakespeare's Birthday Website

A Day in the Life of... PONTYPOOL LIBRARY

A 'behind the scenes' view of working in a public library

Monday morning - oh hang on, we're closed on a Monday. Pop over to Blaenavon or Cwmbran and I'll see you again tomorrow...

Tuesday morning - Hello! Welcome to Pontypool Library.

Croeso y  Llyfrgell Pontypwl.

If you have never been here before I will give you a quick guided tour before we get started.

 This is our lovely new computer suite before the customers arrive.

And here is the children's area before the children arrive.

All our lovely new books waiting to be read.

Blu-ray and premier DVDS for hire

Tuesdays are always busy. We have a small queue of customers who rush in as we open the doors. Lots have books to return then wander off to search for their replacements. Some want to check their emails and others start typing up cvs. A few read the morning papers and sit quietly absorbed in the day's news.

The delivery of books arrives in bright red boxes. We start to check them in and sort them ready to be shelved or put aside for a customer. The new books are tempting, but I already have 20 library books out. Some partially read, others waiting their turn. I will resist these today...

Customer enquiries are different every day, it is part of what makes our job so interesting! We have been asked many weird and wonderful things over the years. I think my favourite request to date is 'Do you have any books on hypnotism? I want to hypnotise my dog'. Today's enquiries are more straightforward and we are able to help everyone find or order books, give directions to the local museum and lots more.

At 10.00am the computer drop-in sessions begin in our lovely Community Room downstairs. Library staff and our volunteer assist learners who are either complete beginners or who have a particular topic they need help with.

In the afternoon people start to arrive for the Employment Support group which is organised by staff from Bridges into Work. They can get help with online applications, CVs and interview techniques.

On the front desk the day is spent helping customers, answering the phone, ordering books from other libraries around Wales, tidying shelves, sending emails and faxes, helping customers with computers and photocopying and dealing with general enquiries.

The library is open until 7pm tonight and we have people calling in on their way home from work to choose a new film on blu-ray or DVD. Skyfall and Possession have been popular since they arrived. I am waiting for Anna Karenina to be returned. We get the new films on the day they are released, so we are always up to the minute.
At 6.55pm the public computers automatically shut down with the familiar Windows tune heralding the close of day. Customers begin to leave. Soon it is quiet and empty again apart from staff chatting about their day and their plans for the rest of the evening. We pile on layers of clothing - there is an icy wind tonight. The library is locked up for the night and we will all be back again in the morning for another busy day

Thanks for visiting us today. Please call again soon.
xx

Autumn

Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Keats had a nice turn of phrase didn't he? He seems to love the season of Autumn, but then he probably hadn't just had the wettest Summer since the year dot.

But let's look forward to the new season with all its special qualities:

Cold, dark and wet?

No. 

Colourful, cosy and romantic

It is a beautiful time of year with plenty to do before Winter sets in. We can collect conkers and blackberries, run through the leaves in the park and watch the incredible sunsets. (The kids might like to join in too!)

Then it's off home to make a nice cuppa and snuggle in front of the fire with our favourite book.

If you're thinking of taking up a hobby, this is the perfect time of year. Watercolour painting, photography, quilt making, ballroom dancing. We have books on all these and many more.

We also have copies of the new prospectus for Adult Education classes in the library. There are courses available in lots of subjects from Cake decorating to GCSE maths.

Join your library today. Join the library online or call in to your nearest branch Opening hours and contact details 

See you in the library soon...

They think it's all over...

The London Olympic Games - Have they inspired a Generation?

The London Olympics 2012

Watching the extremely fit and talented athletes this summer has made me think I should probably be doing more than watch them on television.

I feel inspired to get fitter and be braver. I'm not sure how long this feeling will last, but while it is here I am taking advantage of it.

But which sport should I take up?

Tennis?

You Cannot Be Serious!

ok, what about swimming?

Topsy and Tim Learn to Swim

My armbands are too small for me...

I've got a bike! 

Mud Sweat and Gears

But, I'm not too keen on mud.

Running. I only need my trainers for this one.

You Can Do It!

But I don't look great in shorts...

I've found it! I won't need to get wet, hot or cold and it is closely linked to the Olympic Games...

Knitlympics

For more information about which sport is right for you, browse our Library Catalogue or check out our Ebooks catalogue

Summer - don't be too disappointed with the weather

7 positive things to say about the rain this summer:

• We won't get sunburn
• We won't need to shave our legs (mainly women and cyclists)
• We won't need to tone up for our beachwear
• We don't need to wash the car
• The garden can grow wild and our neighbours won't judge us
• We can use our hosepipes with mad abandon
• We can curl up with a good book

From the comfort and dryness of your own home you can browse the library catalogue, reserve a book and wait for a pause in the deluge so you can pop out to collect it. Library Catalogue

Alternatively, choose an ebook from our great selection of titles and download a copy. Follow links to ebooks page

Your library service, always looking on the bright side :)

Libraries in cyber-space

How much of your library service can you use from home?

Torfaen Library service is increasingly offering resources and services on the internet. These include joining the library; reserving and renewing books; booking time on a computer; access to Britannica Online, Oxford Biography, Books to Help and many more. For some of these you would need to visit the library to collect your items or use those resources restricted to the library computers e.g. Ancestry.com and Driving Theory Pro.


We are not trying to discourage customers from using our library buildings, far from it. We are hoping to attract new customers who may not be using the library service regularly, if at all. In fact, with the introduction of ebooks, we have already noticed an increase in people calling in to enquire and either choosing a pin for their library card or joining the library so they can make use of the service.


Below you will find the complete list of our online resources and a brief description. You can follow the link and most will take you to the free site, a few will need you to log in with your library card and pin. As mentioned above, Ancestry and Driving Theory Pro will only give you free access from a library computer.


If you would like to ask a question or comment on any of our resources, please leave a message on this page or contact your nearest library.

Ancestry| - Discover your family history and build a family tree with the world’s largest genealogy website. Search birth records, census data, obituaries and more! Includes the 1911 census. (Accessible via library PC's only).

Books to Help| gives information about this local scheme, which helps people access self-help books that provide information about a wide range of family issues, including bullying, divorce, anger, parenting, potty training, sleep, worry and many others.

CANS Advice Notes| gives you access to authoritative quality information on 450 areas of current law. Examples of coverage are: consumer protection, employment, family law, housing and social security.

eBooks for Wales| - Browse, borrow and reserve a selection of FREE downloadable eBooks. The collection includes popular fiction, biographies, travel and leisure titles as well as books for children and teenagers.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online enables you to access the entire text of the renowned printed encyclopaedia. Also, you can have your own workspace within the interface for storing and editing your work. There are three versions available Encyclopaedia Britannica Online for ages 18+|, Student Edition for ages 12 - 18| and Junior Edition for ages 5 - 11|.

European Sources Online| - Information about the institutions and activities of the European Union; the countries of Europe and their regions; international organisations in Europe; and issues of importance to European citizens and stakeholders. (Accessible via library pc only).

Grove Art Online| - Everything imaginable about visual art worldwide. Pictures and paintings, ceramics and sculpture, fashion and furniture, graphic design and photography. With over 5,000 images.

Grove Music Online| - From Mozart to Madonna, Punk to polka, panpipes to bagpipes. All styles of music from all periods of history. Hundreds of illustrations, sound files, and information on composers, conductors, lyricists, and performers.

Life in Great Britain| - This online course contains all the text from 'Life in the United Kingdom: a journey into citizenship'. It will enable you to prepare in an enjoyable way for the 'Life in the United Kingdom Test'.

National Library of Wales| - The National Library of Wales offers a wide range of subscribed electronic resources, ranging from scholarly journals to encyclopaedias and newspapers.

Newsbank| gives you access to thousands of full-text articles from more than 20 Welsh and 350 UK daily and weekly newspapers. All are updated daily for current news, and are also archived to enable you to trace news subjects historically.

Oxford Reference Online| - A vast reference library of scholarly resources also containing much illustrative material. (If you are accessing this service from anywhere other than your library, you will be asked to key in your library card number prefixed by TORF). 

Screen Online| - The British Film Institute's resource 'Screenonline' is where you will find stills, video and audio clips, posters, biographies and analyses from the National Film and Television Archive, giving an account of British film and television from the early days to the present.

The Oxford English Dictionary Online| - The monumental and definitive dictionary of the English Language for the English-speaking world. (If you are accessing this service from anywhere other than your library, you will be asked to key in your library card number prefixed by TORF).

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online| - The authoritative biographical source for all those people who have shaped British history. (If you are accessing this service from anywhere other than your library, you will be asked to key in your library card number prefixed by TORF).

Theory Test Pro| - Theory Test Pro is a highly realistic online simulation of the UK's driving theory tests for all vehicle categories. It contains all the official test questions licensed from the DSA, the people who set the tests. 

Ebooks: what can they offer me? A Guide for blind and partially sighted people

 

Torfaen libraries will be supporting Make a Noise in Libraries (MANIL) Fortnight 2012. This is an annual campaign to bring public libraries and blind and partially sighted people together to improve access to books and information.

Books are a great way to share experiences, explore ideas and link up with other people who share a passion for reading. For many blind and partially sighted people, reading also helps to reduce isolation and plays an essential role in their health and well-being.

If you have a visual impairment then why not join us for "Afternoon Tea and Tales". Companions are welcome also. Enjoy refreshments while listening to stories being read aloud. These will be relaxed and informal events providing an opportunity to chat and socialise. The sessions are free of charge and will be held in Blaenavon Library on Monday 11^th June at 4.00pm and in Pontypool Library on Tuesday 12^th and Tuesday 19^th June at 4.00pm.
There will also be a free demonstration at Cwmbran Library at 10.00 am on Tuesday 12^th June of eBooks for the blind and partially-sighted. This will be presented by a representative of the Royal National Institute of Blind People.