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Christmas opening hours

Season's greetings from Cambridgeshire Libraries. Here are our opening hours to help you plan your festive reading.

All Cambridgeshire Libraries except Cambridge Central, Histon, March, 
Rock Road, Soham, and St Ives will be closed from 1pm 24th December 
until Thursday 2nd January, when usual opening hours resume. Loan periods will automatically be extended to cover the longer break.

Central library hours
Fri 27th 9.30am-5pm

Sat 28th 10am-5pm 

Sun 29th 12-4pm     

Mon 30th 9.30am-5pm

Tues 31st 9.30am-5pm

Wed 1st Closed

OpenPlus hours:

Histon, March, Rock Road, Soham, St Ives libraries

27th - 31st December 10am-4pm 

Wed 1st January Closed

Author talks and events

Matty Long: drawing workshop
Ely Library Saturday 14th December, 10.30am - 11.30am

Creator of SUPER HAPPY MAGIC FOREST, the new hit CBBC show, Matty Long is coming to Ely Library. In his workshop he’ll demonstrate how to draw characters from the Super Happy Magic Forest book and TV series step-by-step. For children aged 5 - 8 years old.

Places are very limited for this free workshop. Booking at the library is essential to avoid missing out. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Winter Mini Reading Challenge

The Winter Mini Reading Challenge is a fun online challenge that encourages children to keep up their reading across December – February. 

It’s free to take part on wintermini.org.uk, where children can collect rewards for logging and reviewing books. Whatever your interest, it all counts. 

Unlock a special badge and earn a certificate of achievement once you meet your reading goal! 

National Theatre at the library

We’re raising the curtain on National Theatre Collection 3, a new free service at Cambridgeshire Libraries.

Choose from 20 National Theatre productions, from Shakespeare to modern classics, available to view for free only in the library. Watch a play on one of our computers or on your own device.

While using Cambs Wi-Fi in the library, search for Drama Online - National Theatre Collection 3 (dramaonlinelibrary.com) and choose the play you want to watch.

View by yourself during library hours or look out for public screenings at some of our libraries to enjoy theatre in good company.

Christmas song, dance and sparkles with The Library Presents

Get sparkly with a free community mosaic workshop in Wisbech Library as part of their Christmas festivities, drop-in on 8th December 11am – 1pm.

Opera Dudes bring us their Christmas special with cheerful seasonal songs as well as West End show-stoppers and opera favourites, audience participation and ridiculous sketches. Book tickets for Whittlesey and Littleport libraries.

Lastly join us for Wonderland at Huntingdon Library 13 December 2.30pm.  A festive show featuring snowball fights, tap dancing, violins, shiny bows and much more! Live music, dance and extravagant costumes. After the show, stay and decorate some gingerbread – good, sweet, sticky fun! Perfect for older adults, adults living with dementia and their families!

Databank on the mobile library

Cambridgeshire Libraries are part of  Good Things Foundation’s National Databank scheme, which makes free data SIMs cards or vouchers available to anyone 18+ from a low-income household. Recipients can self-declare as eligible, and the support is available for a maximum period of 12 months. The data can be used with any SIM-enabled device. Ask library staff for further details.

We’re pleased to say that this offer is now also available on our Cambs Mobile Library, which has stops in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire. For a full list of our Mobile Library routes and stops, please visit our website: Find a mobile library stop | Cambridgeshire County Council

The National Databank is also available at Arbury Court, Barnwell Road, Bar Hill, Cambourne, Cambridge Central, Clay Farm, Ely, Huntingdon, March, St Ives, St Neots and Wisbech libraries. 

Spread the Word

We all communicate in so many different ways now – from word of mouth to WhatsApp. If you appreciate your library service, we’d love you to tell others about it. Invite a friend to meet you at the library, give us a plug on Facebook, or share a link to library information with your neighbourhood WhatsApp group: Libraries | Cambridgeshire County Council. Library members are our best ambassadors!

New books

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

Cambridgeshire listens and reads

Our Cambridgeshire Listens and Cambridgeshire Reads collections bring you a wide range of books to borrow in eBook or eAudiobook format. Available for multiple use, they're great for reading groups and workplace reads. You can even listen and read at the same time!

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 links to look at this month's offerings. 

We have five titles available as Reads and Listens:

The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, Enchantment by Katherine May, The 12 days of Murder by Andreina Cordani, The Ambassador by Tom Fletcher.

We have nine titles available as Listens:

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J.Maas, Lemuria by Greig Beck, A Diamond from Tiffany's by Melissa Hill, Tell No One by Harlen Coben, Broken Light by Joanne Harris, A Highland Christmas By M.C.Beaton, The Foghorn Echoes by Danny Ramadan, Mistletoe Malice by Kathleen Farrell, Middlemarch by George Eliot.

We have six Junior/teen Listens:

Five Survive by Holly Jackson, A Throne of Swans by Elizabeth and Katharine Corr, The Tale of Angelino Brown by David Almond, The Silver Road by Sinead O'Hart, Winter Blunderland by James Patterson, The Mystery of the Disappearing Cat by Enid Blyton.

Stay Well

While we tend to spend more time indoors and at home in winter, living in a cold home can cause or worsen physical illness and mental wellbeing. Infants and children, older people, and those living with pre-existing health problems or cognitive impairments are our most vulnerable groups.

If you or someone you know are at risk of being affected by fuel poverty, visit Stay Well this Winter 2024 / 2025 to find information about services and grants to help reduce the energy bills and keep your home warm.  Also visit Support with the cost of living | Cambridgeshire County Council to find resources and help available.

International Migrants Day 18th December

International Migrants Day aims is to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties of international migration.

We’re a  Libraries of Sanctuary service, and we have a range of resources to welcome and support new arrivals into our communities. These 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; and a range of foreign language and dual language books and language learning resources, both physical and digital, which you can browse and reserve on our catalogue.

To find out more about local support for new arrivals, please visit our Libraries of Sanctuary Information Page: Libraries of Sanctuary - Cambridgeshire County Council

We’re also celebrating International Migrants Day with a Multilingual Storytime: join us at Cambridge Central Library on Saturday 14 December (11.15am-12noon) 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 Tickets, Sat 14 Dec 2024 at 11:15 | Eventbrite

Library at Home service

Did you know that Cambridgeshire Libraries offer a free Library at Home service to readers of any age who find it difficult to get to the library due to disability, illness or caring responsibilities?

A local volunteer can visit monthly at a mutually convenient time, bringing library books and audiobooks chosen according to each reader’s preference, and have a friendly chat if you’d like. For more information about becoming a Library at Home customer, or volunteer, please ask at your local library, call 0345 045 5225, email volunteers@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or visit our website https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/libraries-leisure-culture/libraries/advice-and-support/library-at-home-service

Grief Awareness Week 2-8 December

The season of goodwill is also a season of sadness for many as we remember loved ones no longer with us. Cambridgeshire Libraries have a special collection of books to support you through grief and bereavement. You can find it on our Health and Wellbeing page. Visit the National Grief Awareness Week website from The Good Grief Trust  for support and services for people who are grieving.

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Stay connected with Cambridgeshire Libraries

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