Over the coming months, staff at Abingdon Library have put together some wonderful additional events for you and your children to be part of so take a look and see what’s on.
In addition to the popular regular events held at Abingdon Library which we have highlighted later in this article, there are some special events taking place.
The Library holds regular author events throughout the year with the exception of July and August. These evenings provide a wonderful opportunity for you to get to meet a number of local authors who have written a fine array of best-selling books. Guest authors can be those who are recently published whilst others are established and more well known such as mystery and thriller novelist Mick Herron and Cara Hunter who lives in Oxford and writes crime books such as ‘Close to Home.’
On Thursday 13 June, Neil Clark will be at the Library from 6pm talking about the curious life of British writer and journalist Edgar Wallace. Tickets for this event are just £2 which includes a free glass of wine or juice and are available from the Library counter, by email Abingdon.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk or calling 01235 520374. For more information about Neil, please read our separate article entitled ‘Stranger than Fiction’ the life of Edgar Wallace.
Another author coming into the Library during June is new and emerging author George Brown who will be at the Library on Thursday 27 June from 6pm. He will be talking about his latest novel ‘Deliver us from Evil,’ a novel he co-authored under the pseudonym Frank Francis. George’s debut novel ‘One Game at a Time’ was released in September 2023, soon followed last November, by ‘Deliver us from Evil’. His journey into being a published author started at the University of Exeter, where he completed a Bachelors in English Literature and then a master’s in creative writing. Alongside novel-writing, he has also written, directed and starred in a play at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022, had short stories published in online magazines, and uses his writing skills day-in, day-out within his role as a Marketing Executive. Tickets can be prebooked by contacting Abingdon Library.
Following the summer break, comedy writer Sue Clark will be in the Library on 26 September. Sue’s love is comedy and as well as scriptwriting for TV and radio, she has also worked as a journalist, copywriter and in PR. Her first comic novel ‘Note to Boy’ was published in 2020. Last year, her short story ‘On The Brushes’ featured in the anthology ‘Taking Liberties’ but she will be entertain guests talking about his second comic fiction ‘A Novel Solution.’
For poetry lovers, make a note that on 3 October the Library will be celebrating National Poetry Day when they hold a poetry event featuring various local poets.
If you would like to receive regular updates and early notifications about author events for adults at Abingdon Library, please let them know by emailing abingdon.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
During the Summer months, Oxfordshire Libraries run the Summer Reading Challenge, which children up to the age of 12 can take part in and receive rewards for reading and a certificate if they complete the challenge to read 6 books over the summer holidays.
Look out for the weekly craft activities and other events on offer during the summer holiday which will be advertised on Abingdon Library’s Facebook page facebook.com/AbingdonLibrary.
There are a number of regular, free activities held for both children and adults. Keep a look out for others on their website.
Regular events & activities:
- Rhyme time, every Wednesday during term time 9.30 to 1-am. Nursery rhymes, action songs, musical instruments for under 5’s with their parent or carer.
- Stay & Play, every Thursday during term time 9.30am to 11. For pre-school children with their parent/carer.
- Code Club, held during term time on Saturdays from 10 until 11am. Children 9 to 11 years. Please join the waiting list.
- Language Café, every Tuesday from 10am to 12 noon. If English is not your first language, do come along and chat with others to practise your English and make new friends.
- Digital Help, every Monday 1pm to 3pm. Book an hour session.
- Reading Group, a monthly get together for adults providing an opportunity to meet and chat about your favourite books. Held from 5.30pm to 6.30pm on 19 June, 17 July and 21 August (but continues beyond these dates).
Abingdon Library is located at The Charter, Abingdon OX14 3LY
Abingdon.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk | 01235 520374
oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/find-library/abingdon-library
