News from Cambridgeshire Libraries

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Christmas and New Year Opening Hours

All Cambridgeshire Libraries will be closed from 1pm on 24th December. All libraries except Cambridge Central and libraries with Open+ facilities will be closed between 25th December and 1st January.

Normal opening hours will resume on 2nd January.

Cambridge Central library will operate as follows between 27th and 31st December:

Saturday 27th Dec 10am-5pm

Sunday 28th 12-4pm

Monday 29th 9.30am-5pm

Tuesday 30th 9.30am-5pm

Wednesday 31st 9.30am-5pm

The Open+ service at Histon, March, Soham, Rock Road and St Ives libraries will operate as follows:

Saturday 27th – Wednesday 31st December, 10am-4pm.

Loan periods will automatically be extended to cover the longer break.

Digital Spaces VR at Ely library

A person wearing a VR headset in a library setting

Look out for our exciting VR sessions at Ely library where you can experience the world of Monoliths, Wallace & Gromit, Phase Space, The Lark Ascending, Berlin Blitz 1943, David Attenborough's Hold The World and Laika.

Ask at the library to see the menu.

Customer thoughts:

“Fantastic! Loved the VR experience. Lost myself in the virtual world which seems so real. Thank you. My first VR experience and this experience will be relived. Awesome support from the team!”

Ely Library

Thursday 11th December, 3-5pm

Friday 12th December, 2-4pm

Saturday 13th December, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm

Children under 12 years will need a signed parental consent form and to be accompanied by an adult.

Book a free place at the library, call 0345 045 5225 or email Ely.Referral@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

The project is supported by Arts Council England, The British Film Institute and The Space.

EverySpace Launch at Central Library

Four images from the launch day, one is of someone filming the Green Screen with an iPad, one of a young girl in a VR Headset, one of two ladies talking into microphones in the Sound Recording Studio with headphones on, and the last is of a mother and son drawing digital art on our iPads.

Cambridgeshire Libraries has officially opened their second innovative and state-of-the-art EverySpace at Cambridge Central Library.

EverySpace is a flexible, creative community hub designed to support residents in developing digital skills and to give local groups a vibrant, welcoming space to host activities and events

Designed with accessibility in mind, EverySpace includes features and equipment suitable for a wide range of needs and interests. Visitors can get hands-on with video editing tools, sound recording equipment and enjoy flexible layouts ideal for hosting a wide range of activities.

This new space has been funded by a grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and delivered by Arts Council England.

We’re thrilled to welcome you into this fantastic new space. Come along, explore, create and discover, your EverySpace is ready for you! If you're interested in booking the space please complete the enquiry form and our team will be in touch.

Stay Well this Winter

Energy bills remain high this winter, putting many households at risk of cold homes. Living in a cold home could cause or worsen health issues, such as problems affecting the lungs or breathing, heart disease, high blood pressure or stroke, conditions related to bones, joints and muscles, diabetes, mental health and dementia.

To help people stay warm and well, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Public Health team and partners have created a Stay Well pack containing practical advice, contact details for support, and information about how to access free resources and financial aid. If you or someone you know would benefit from this information, please pick up a Stay Well pack at your local library, or visit Stay Well This Winter | Cambridgeshire County Council.

Winter Mini Challenge

Images of the Reading Agency and Story Garden logos, with various characters from the Summer Reading Challenge playing amongst an icy , winter backdrop with frosted grass and snowflakes falling.

Keep the reading habit going! Borrow and read 3 library books, then review them on the Winter Challenge website between 1st December 2025 and 20th February 2026. On the website children can also find book recommendations, watch videos from authors, play games, and discover a huge range of activities to entertain the whole family.

International Migrants Day

Image of a man made out of clay holding a suitcase, standing on top of a globe, with a map of the world beside him covered in red location pins.

Wednesday 18th December is International Migrants Day, a day whose aim is to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties of international migration. Cambridgeshire Libraries is a sanctuary service and Cambridgeshire County Council is a Council of Sanctuary We're proud to play a role in welcoming people into our communities.

Our resources include:

Go Citizen which gives those preparing for the Life in the UK test free access to practice tests and study materials

Pressreader which gives library members free access to over 7000 newspapers and magazines from 140 different countries, with the option to translate into a number of languages and a text to speech option

A range of books in languages other than English, dual language books, and language learning resources, both physical and digital

You can browse and reserve these on our catalogue.

We’re also celebrating International Migrants Day with a Multilingual Storytime. Join us at Cambridge Central Library on Saturday 13th December (2.15-3pm) for stories and rhymes in a range of languages from around the world!

Free and all welcome; book your ticket on Eventbrite or just come along. Multilingual Storytime at Cambridge Central Library Tickets, Sat 13 Dec 2025 at 14:15 | Eventbrite

New books

Click on the button below for our full selection of new books for December

New books

Cambridgeshire Listens

Our Cambridgeshire Listens collection brings you a wide range of books to borrow in eAudiobook format. Available for multiple use, they're great for reading groups and workplace reads.

Each month the selection of adult, young adult and children's titles are refreshed - they're available to borrow over a 60-day period. Try the link to look at this month's offerings.

We have nine titles available as Listens:

Death on Ice by R. O. Thorp; Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah; Holmes, Margaret and Poe by James Patterson, Brian Sitts; Into the Storm by Cecilia Ahern; Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani; The Humans by Matt Haig; The Mirror by Nora Roberts; The Snow Angel by Dilly Court; The Tidal Zone by Sarah Moss

Cambridgeshire listens

We have two Junior/Teen titles available as Listens:

The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling, Let It Glow by Joanne Levy, Marissa Meyer

Junior listens

The Library Presents

Music turns into amazing visuals and ghostly storytelling for adults this festive season!

6th December Cherry Hinton Library 6.20-7.45pm

Enjoy music by fabulous pianist Charlie Hooper-Williams while you watch his music transform into stunning real-time visual projections. An immersive experience where sound and visuals merge. Chat to Charlie after the show and find out more about his music and the technology he uses. Book here

12th December Wisbech Library and 13th December at Littleport Library

7pm-8.25pm

It’s cold outside but experience a different kind of chill at 'Ghost of a Smile'. Featuring two of Charles Dickens’ creepy tales - with a comic twist. A traveller encounters a ghostly chair, and in a deserted Edinburgh carriage works, a tipsy reveller is spirited away. Book here

Minimum age for all events 12 years.

National Year of Reading

Did you know that 2026 will be the National Year of Reading?

The aim is to encourage people of all ages to read for pleasure. With the message “Go all in!” the campaign invites us all to read more deeply into topics we already care about. As we go all in to find out about what we love, there’s a chance to experience how the act of reading can benefit mental and emotional wellbeing.

Already a keen reader? Fantastic! Please help people you know to discover the joys of reading for pleasure and purpose, by sharing and talking about books and reading. At Cambridgeshire Libraries we’ll be highlighting the National Year of Reading throughout 2026 – watch this space for more details.

Free Flu and Covid Vaccines

Flu and COVID-19 spread around every winter. The best way to protect yourself and those around you is to get your vaccines.

You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you are over 65; have certain long-term conditions; are pregnant; live in a care home; are the main carer for an older or disabled person; or live with someone who has a weakened immune system.

You can get the free NHS COVID-19 vaccine if you are over 75; have a weakened immune system due to a health condition or treatment; or live in a care home for older adults.

Contact your GP or pharmacy to find out more. Visit Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System website for information about walk-in clinics.

National Grief Awareness Week

Image of a lady sat on a chair surrounded by negative thought bubbles, next to a picture of three different pairs of hands holding onto each other for comfort.

“Losing a loved one feels like an ending in so many ways, but in time, it can also become the ground from which something new begins.”

National Grief Awareness Week, led by The Good Grief Trust, takes place during 2nd-8th December. This year’s theme is “Growing with Grief”, encouraging us to acknowledge loss while finding ways to heal and grow.

Want to get involved and support people around you? Visit National Grief Awareness Week for ideas and resources.

Reading can be a source of solace during difficult times. Explore our Grief and Bereavement booklist on Health and Well-being | Cambridgeshire Libraries and reserve your books. For information about where to find support, visit The Good Grief Trust and Bereavement – Keep Your Head.