Welcome to another exciting episode of our library podcast!
 
In this episode, we’re bringing you the latest news and upcoming events from our libraries. We’ll cover highlights from the recent staff conference, where we celebrated our team’s achievements over the past year and shared updates on new projects and future goals. You’ll hear about exciting building upgrades and some temporary closures as we refresh our spaces with new furniture, painting, and redecorating—especially at Holborn Library.
 
We’re also excited to spotlight our wonderful partnership with the Bloomsbury Festival, which brings even more creativity and culture to our community.

As part of Black History Month and the festival, we’ll be hosting a special ballet performance by Island Movements ( Island Movements (Ballet Performance) - Bloomsbury Festival). This short ballet tells the Windrush story and explores how that generation’s experiences shaped their families, communities, and society. Join us for this moving performance on Friday 25th October, from 3.30-4.30pm. Plus, don’t miss out on our Science Fun Day on Saturday 26th October fun for all ages held at Holborn Library during the Bloomsbury Festival. To learn more follow these links: 
 
https://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/events/discovery-day/
https://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/events/lego-dream-city/
https://bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/events/ross-montgomery/

Bloomsbury Festival Holborn Library Special

Welcome to this week’s episode of the Camden Libraries Podcast!
 
Today, we’re thrilled to introduce a special guest, author Anne John-Ligail. Anne dives deep into her writing journey, sharing her creative process, the books and authors that inspire her, and what she enjoys reading when she's not crafting her own stories.

Anne will be in Holborn Library on Saturday 7th December 12.30-2pm where you can get into the holiday spirit as we guide you through creating your own advent calendar, giant bauble decorating, and pinecone Christmas trees. Please do come down! To book, please follow this https://shorturl.at/fKTE9

In this episode, we also cover updates from our library community, including the temporary closure of the West Hampstead Library and the highly anticipated reopening of Highgate Library.

Join us for an engaging discussion that spans the joy of storytelling, the craft of writing, and the exciting changes happening within our libraries. Don’t miss it!

To catch up on previous episodes, check out our SoundCloud: Stream Camden Libraries – where you can enjoy past interviews, community updates, and more! ( soundcloud.com/feed)
 
To find out more about Anne:
http://www.annejohnligali.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anne_johnligali/
TikTok: anne_johnligaliauthor
Facebook: Anne John-Ligali Books

Lets Talk Camden Anne John-Ligail

Join Valeria, Reader Development and Stock Librarian at Camden Libraries, Haleema Ali, and host Barra Fitzgibbon from Bloomsbury Radio for a brand-new episode of Let’s Talk Camden — the podcast where stories, community, and creativity come together.

This month, we’re welcoming Valeria to the mic. She brings a unique perspective from Abruzzo, Italy — the greenest region in Europe, known for its incredible biodiversity. Her background beautifully ties into this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme: Story Garden.

We’ll also be tackling a national issue: children’s reading is in decline, with only 1 in 3 young people enjoying reading and 1 in 4 unable to read well by age 11 (Clark et al., 2024). But there’s a way to turn the page — and it starts with the Summer Reading Challenge ( Summer Reading Challenge - Camden Council) . Children are encouraged to read six books over the summer, collecting tokens and entering a prize draw to win theatre tickets, LEGO sets, and more. To sign up please follow this link : Summer Reading Challenge 2025

Plus, Barra and Valeria dive into some brilliant reads, including Conclave by Peter Straughan. Valeria also shares her love of languages and her growing interest in Korean and Japanese literature, especially slice-of-life stories that offer a window into everyday experiences across cultures.

Tune in for book chat, summer inspiration, and a celebration of the power of reading.


New tracks tagged #camdenlibraries