People's Network
Campaigns and features, from libraries and their partners
- Future Libraries
- Find Love in Your Library (for Valentine’s or whenever)
- Break Out! Fresh ideas for Families
- Advice Guide from Citizens Advice
- One Day in History: History Matters
- Children's Party at the Palace
- Families Love Libraries
- National SureStart Month 2006
- Make a Difference: Work in Public Libraries
- Love Libraries
- Get Set for Digital
- World Book Day 2006
- ICONS - A Portrait of England launches
- The Poetry Archive launches
- Get online with The Wright Stuff
- RaW (Reading and Writing) from the BBC
Future Libraries...What does your future library service look like?
What services are most important to you? Do you think libraries could be improved for you, your family, friends and others in the community? Many thanks to all of you who got involved in shaping and planning the future of public libraries. Your response will form part of a consultation, led by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) on the future role of the modern public library. Results will be out later in the year.
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Find Love in your Library (for Valentine's or whenever) 
Calling all you romantics out there! If you’re looking for ideas of how to spend a special day like Valentines, then why not pay a visit to your local library! From author and poetry events to speed-dating with a difference, you will be surprised to find out about the variety of special activities on offer.
Find out more by visiting your local library or visit Love Libraries to see some of the great events in libraries for Valentine’s Day 2007.
Break Out! Fresh Ideas for Families
Breakout! is a free website aimed at parents and carers of 5-14 year olds, packed full of information, ideas and links about a whole range of activities – from after school and weekend events, to what to do in the school holidays. The events and activities listed tend to be totally free or subsidised, so appeal to a wide range of children, young people or families.
The topics covered include things to do – from sports, culture, outdoor and creative activities – to advice on safety. It is regularly updated to highlight current events and encourages young people to submit reviews of what they’ve enjoyed. Breakout! is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Advice Guide from Citizen's Advice
This is the online information service from Citizens Advice. Covering all areas of the UK, the service has a wealth of information on a wide range of topics – from parental rights at work and benefits you can claim, through to advice on debt, housing and consumer issues. There’s a wide range of fact sheets to print, and there’s also information in different languages. The service has the Community Legal Service ‘Quality Mark for Websites', which means that you can be assured of the accuracy and relevancy of the information you find at Advice Guide.
One Day in History: History Matters
Internet access in public libraries was one of the places people could make their mark on history by simply adding their own everyday story about October 17th to the biggest blog ever, organised by History Matters. There was a huge response giving a moving, hilarious and unique picture of the United Kingdom on 17 October 2006.
Children's Party at the Palace 
Children's literature was brought to life at Buckingham Palace at a party to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday on the 25th June 2006. Tracy Beaker was there with a special message about libraries.
Families Love Libraries 
Does your family love libraries? They do? Fantastic! Then you'll already know how great they are for meeting friends, finding fab reads and joining in with lots of fun family learning, like rhyme-times, sing-a-longs and reading groups. To make things even better for families, libraries are now finding out more about what families love most about their local library Find out more....
National SureStart Month, June 2006 
SureStart offers young children and their families the services they need, including childcare and early education, health services, advice for parents and help to access training and work. During June, thousands of local events and open days are planned to celebrate all that is good in childcare, early education, health and family support. And these events will help parents to find out about the support available on their doorstep. Registered childminders, playgroups, day nurseries, Sure Start Children’s Centres, parent advisers, health workers, libraries, Children's Information Services and staff from Jobcentre Plus in your local community will work together to let parents know more about the services available in their local area. Visit the National SureStart Month website to find out more or visit your local library.
Make a Difference: Work in Public Libraries 
You may have heard that your local public library is a great place to work and visit (click the links to listen). Library staff help all kinds of people in their daily lives and become important members of their communities. They give access to all kinds of information and learning, from books and computers, for toddlers to business people.
If you want to make a real difference to people's lives and join the thousands of library staff across England then get further information or drop in to your local public library and see what's available.
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Love Libraries
Do you love libraries? You do? Fantastic! Then you'll already know how great they are for free books, reading groups, meeting authors and good reading advice. If you don't use them yet, you're missing out! Check out your local library and tell us what you think. Love Libraries is a campaign to get everyone excited about what public libraries can do for readers and how we can make them better! Over 12 weeks, three libraries were dramatically made over into models of a future library service with reading at its heart. Follow their progress and find out what celebrities and others think about libraries through the Love Libraries website.
Get Set for Digital Television with public libraries...
Television is changing – it is going completely digital bringing everyone more choice and a better quality viewing experience. The process of changing the UK to digital-only TV is called “digital switchover” and it is the greatest change in broadcasting since the introduction of colour TV in 1967. Digital switchover will be happening in your area some time between 2008 and 2012. It will happen by TV region so there is plenty of time to “get set for digital”.
Many libraries are working with the Government to provide more information about what digital switchover means for you. Ask at your library for a leaflet. Or go to www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk or www.digitaluk.co.uk (Digital UK is the independent body that is coordinating the UK switchover to digital TV and providing consumer information)
Celebrate World Book Day 2006 with public libraries...
Public libraries working with their reading partners always have lots of special events and activities going on around World Book Day, March 2006. You could have a Quick Read in an unusual place, Spread the Word about your favourite books, chat with an Author or Storyteller and have a go at winning a Quiz or Competition. There are also lots of special activities for Children and Young People and even Parties! Find your local library around World Book Day and you'll find lots going on!
You can also celebrate World Book Day with public libraries by discussing your books and reading with a new reader2reader service or by discovering some book related items from some special collections in libraries, museums and archives
Public Libraries welcome the launch of ICONS - A Portrait of England
ICONS (http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/home.do)invites you to nominate and vote for your favourite things about England. With your help it will grow to make an exciting portrait of the country. So whether it be a cup of tea or a red telephone box, check out the site and have your say. You can also find out what makes an icon an icon and even take the Icons Quiz. The site is a great way to do new things on the web and learn while you're having fun and having your say on England's culture and heritage. You can try it out on the People's Network in any public library close to you.
Discover some icons in library, musuem and archive collections
Public Libraries welcome the launch of The Poetry Archive 
The Poetry Archive (http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/home.do)is the world's premier online collection of recordings of poets reading their work. You can enjoy listening to the voices of contemporary English-language poets and of poets from the past. Growing all the time, The Poetry Archive helps make poetry accessible, relevant and enjoyable for everyone.
Available freely on the web The Poetry Archive is another fantastic resource that you can explore with libraries, no matter what age you are or what type of poetry interests you. From nursery rhymes to rap, public libraries are great for poetry. You can always find books and recordings to read, listen to and borrow; and activities and events to help you develop your skills for reading, writing, performing and listening to poetry. So find a librarywww.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk/discover/findLibrary.do near you, or one of their reading groupshttp://www.readinggroups.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk/pls/hotufi2/hc_reading_agency_search.page_pls_all_home, and make the most of poetry and The Poetry Archive.
Get online with The Wright Stuff
Public libraries and other UK online centres teamed up with The Wright Stuffwww.five.tv/programmes/thewrightstuff/, shown daily on TV's channel Five at 9.30am, to run a campaign to encourage viewers to give computers, technology and the internet a try to see what it can do for them.
The six-week campaign launched on Tuesday 25th October with a phone-in topic, panel and audience debate on the subject. There's a freephone helpline so you can find out more about UK online centres, courses and what else is freely available for people - 08000 921 129 or try the UKonline centres website(www.ufi.com/ukol/).
RaW (Reading and Writing) from the BBC
RaW is an entertainment-led crusade to engage the passions and interests of the nation towards reading and writing, starting in October 2005. The campaign will cover TV and radio programmes as well as online and other activities around around themes like football and families.
Many libraries are working with the BBC to highlight the campaign's activities from providing featured reading materials, reading events and access to the campaign website. Look for the RaW publicity in your library and ask a member of staff how you can get involved or visit the RaW website. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/raw/)