Green Libraries Week is an annual showcase and celebration of all that libraries have to offer their local communities. In 2024 from Monday 7th October to Saturday 12th October, Libraries Week becomes Green Libraries Week, celebrating the work going on in libraries and in the local community around sustainability, nature and the environment.

Libraries have long been firm advocates of reduce, reuse and recycle – in a books lifetime it will be issued and returned to umpteen borrowers. When the book’s condition is deemed too poor for lending, it will be put on sale or recycled. In recent years libraries have developed new ways of providing reading material via digital means, including e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines.

As detailed below, the team at Horncastle Library will be offering a variety of events and activities throughout the week to encourage everyone to go green.

Come and join these organisations for the whole of Green Libraries Week 7th to 12th October 2024:

All Week - ‘We're in Hot Water’ Free Exhibition at Horncastle Created by Joseph Banks Centre.

Flooding is on the rise in Horncastle and around the world. We explore the history and look for solutions.

All Week - Seed Swap Bring your unwanted seeds (full or part packets) and swap for something you want to plant next year.

All Week - U3a Biodiversity Group. Reversing the decline in Biodiversity in The Bain Valley and Tennyson Country.

All Week - Lincolnshire South Guiding Association Information on the programme of activities that ensure young members are considering environmental issues

All Week - A Rocha UK's Eco Church Programme. Charity working to protect and restore the natural world and equipping churches in the UK to care for the environment.

All Week - LCC Green Masterplan. Information on the County Council's overarching environmental sustainability programme. The LincWoods Project. Information on the partnership working with the Forestry Commission and Woodland Trust to facilitate the planting of trees across the county.

In addition to all of the above we have on these days at Horncastle Library the following free events -

Monday 7th October

10.30am - 11.30am Green Themed Story and Rhyme time and Green themed Colouring Activity

A fun-filled session for pre-school aged children. Listening to stories and singing rhymes. No need to book.

9.00am to 4.00pm Eric the Van

The Heart Home Energy Advice Retrofit Team will be at Horncastle Library to help residents tackle fuel poverty, live more comfortably in their homes and save money on their energy bills The team will also help with applications to grant schemes ERIC the Van (Energy & Retrofit Information Clinic) will be on site to demonstrate heat pumps, LED lighting and insulation Pop into between 9am and 4pm.

Wednesday 9th October

10am - 12 noon Nature Themed Watercolour taster session with acclaimed artist Nikki Bennett. Fully booked.

9am-1pm Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is your local wildlife conservation charity. Learn more about the Trust and the wildlife on your doorstep and what you can do to help conserve it.

Thursday 10th October

10am-4pm Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is your local wildlife conservation charity. Learn more about the Trust and the wildlife on your doorstep and what you can do to help conserve it.

10am - 12noon Lincs Digital Community Drop In.

Free drop-in session to help you with your online needs. Free refreshments provided.

1pm – 3pm Lincs Digital Ancestry Training. Booking essential

Guided session to help you navigate Ancestry using maths skills and help researching your family history. Places strictly limited so please book with a member of the Horncastle Library team. Horncastle.library@gll.org

2pm Horncastle’s Rivers Need you! Free Talk by East Mercia Rivers Trust

Chalk Stream River

Learn all about Rejuvenating Lincolnshire’s Chalk Stream project and how East Mercia Rivers Trust, along with partners, are working to enhance rivers in and around Horncastle for nature and communities. This talk will highlight the serious issues local rivers are facing, how to tackle them, and how you can help.

East Mercia Rivers Trust’s mission is to bring rivers back to life for nature and communities.

Not to be missed. Please book in advance with a member of the team.

4pm - 5pm Junk Modelling Children's Activity.

Making something wonderful out of junk. All materials provided. Please book in advance with a member of the team.

Friday 11th October

10am-12noon The Energy outreach Project with YMCA and Citizens Advice Free Talk on Free Energy Advice, energy efficiency tips, grant eligibility, warm home discount and the priority service register. Free Refreshments.

10am-4pm Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is your local wildlife conservation charity. Learn more about the Trust and the wildlife on your doorstep and what you can do to help conserve it. 

 
2.00pm to 3.00pm Free Lecture by Dr. John- Henry Lonie Booking Essential

Dr. John Henry Lonie will look at how we all interact and can contribute to caring for Creation, in the way we live, what we do and how these things can help or harm.

Examples will include nature, energy for homes, how we travel and shop and will also look at the key role Libraries have played over the years in reducing environmental impact.

We will start at looking at the Why and build on that to the many good things we as individuals, families and parts of communities can make a big difference.

John Henry has been an environmental consultant since the 1980s, has a PhD in Ecology, worked in the Natural History Museum, and did the UK’s first carbon footprint for a power station in 1989. He is a Professor at Lincoln in Sustainable Energy Systems, and at Nottingham in Biosciences.

Please book in advance with a member of the team. Saturday 12th October

10am - 12 noon InkleWorld Free Nature Themed Storytime and Games with local author and illustrators Christine and Katharine Armstrong.

A last few words from Sadie Hirst MA, Library Manager at Horncastle Library for GLL:

“Some might say libraries are the original story recyclers, purchasing books for their local community, so members of the public don’t need to buy their own copy. This Green Libraries Week we’re delighted to be working with so many local groups to be able to highlight their green initiatives and encourage everyone to come along and find out more by visiting us or emailing the team horncastle.library@gll.org"