West Berkshire Libraries Events

Check pout their West Berkshire Libraries Events for summer!

Their annual Summer Reading Challenge for children 4-11 years starts now!

Once again, their annual Summer Reading Challenge for 4-11 year olds is off to a fantastic start.

By the end of July over 2,000 children in West Berkshire had already signed up to take part – and there is still plenty of time to join the fun! 

Children are challenged to borrow and read up to six library books before 15 September.

They can collect free incentives for their achievements as they read, with medals and certificates for everyone who completes the Challenge. 

They also have a Mini Challenge for under 4s, encouraging them to visit the library several times over the summer break. Please ask in your local library for details about both of these Challenges.

Visit the Summer Reading Challenge website to enjoy lots of free activities, games, videos, competitions and chat about authors and books; and if you are unable to visit a library in person this year, you can still take part in the Challenge online.

Adults don’t need to miss out on the fun – they also have a book challenge for everyone over the age of 12 to enjoy!

Pick up a challenge card from any West Berkshire library to get started, then complete the challenge by reading three books from their suggestions, to form a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line on your challenge card.

Return your completed card by 15 September to enter a prize draw to win a book token.

They will have prizes in every library!

Planet Library is their app for children, allowing them to search the library catalogue, reserve books and renew their loans safely.

The app also includes lots of games and allows users to collect digital rewards.

There are virtual Planet Library characters hidden in library buildings too, which the app will help you to find.

Download Planet Library from your usual app store, log in as a West Berkshire Libraries member and start using it today.

Burghfield Library

• Lego – Friday 8, 15, 22 and 29 August 4-5pm

• Craft of the Week: Cloud Spotter – Begins Monday 4 August

• Duplo Play – Monday 4, 11 and 18 August 2-3pm

• Rhymetime – Thursday 7, 14, 21 and 28 August 10.30-11am

• Stay & Play – Thursday 7, 14, 21 and 28 August 11am-12noon

• Craft Club – Saturday 9 August 10.30am-12noon

• Craft of the Week: Tetra Pak Bughouses – Begins Monday 11 August

• Craft of the Week: Butterfly Suncatcher – Begins Monday 18 August

• Craft of the Week: Collage – Begins Tuesday 26 August

Hungerford Library

• Craft Fun! – Tuesdays

• 10:30am – 12pm, get creative with exciting crafts. Suggested donation £1.

• Rhymetime! – Wednesdays 10am & 11am, sing along to your favourite tunes.(older siblings welcome!)

• Storytime with colouring! – Fridays 2:30 – 5pm, listen to captivating stories and unleash your inner artist.

Drop in to meet Ruby, a Pets As Therapy dog.

She would love to listen to you read to her, or you can just say hello!

Lambourn Library

• Visit the library to pick up your Trail Pack and start your adventure.

• Search for the missing characters around Lambourn, complete your pack, and return it to the library to claim a small reward!

       Also….

• Drop in for easy, self-guided craft activities inspired by The Story Garden!

• No set times—just come along when you can.

• A special craft table will be set up with colouring sheets, sticking materials, and more, all linked to our magical garden theme.

• Perfect for kids and families—let your imagination bloom! No booking needed—just drop by and get creative!

Mortimer Library

• Walter the Wobbly Man craft – Friday 8 August 2–5pm

• Charlie the chain Snake craft – Saturday 9 August 10.30am–12noon

• SRC Colouring – Monday 11 August 2–4.30pm

• Duplo & playmat session – Tuesday 12 August 2–4.30pm

• SRC Hide & Seek – Friday 15 August 2–5pm

• Lisa the Ladybird craft – Saturday 16 August 10.30am–12noon

• Fish puppets craft – Monday 18 August 2–4.30pm

• Duplo & playmat session – Tuesday 19 August 2–4.30pm

• SRC Puzzles – Friday 22 August 2–5pm

• Lego Club – Saturday 23 August 10.30am–12noon

• Simon the Snail craft – Tuesday 26 August 2–4.30pm

• Tree in a cup craft – Friday 29 August 2–5pm

• Saturday Chess Meet – Saturday 30 August 10.30am–12noon

Newbury Library

• Rhymetime – Every Tuesday, 11-11.20am

• Summer Lego Sessions – Every Friday in August, 10am to 12pm. Drop in to the Carnegie Lounge for FREE Lego sessions.

• Story Garden Crafts – Wednesday 13 August, 10am to 12pm. For children aged 3 and over. Drop-in session, suggested donation £1

• Storytime and Colouring – Wednesday 20 August, 10–10:45am. For children of all ages. Drop-in session, suggested donation £1.

• Story Garden Craft – Wednesday 27 August, 10am to 12pm. For children aged 3 and over. Drop-in session, suggested donation £1.

Pangbourne Library

• Board game club – Saturday 9 August 11am–1pm

• Summer Reading Challenge Paper crafts – Tuesday 12 August 2–4pm

• Storytime with Debi Evans – Friday 8 August 12pm, £3 per child

• Storytime with Layn Marlow – Saturday 16 August 11am, £3 per child

• Summer Reading Challenge Paper crafts – Friday 22 August 11.30am–2pm

• Summer Reading Challenge Paper crafts – Tuesday 26th August 2–4pm

Thatcham Library

• Games in the garden (weather permitting) – Every Tuesday in August, 2-4pm. Come and join us to play an assortment of garden games

• Children’s Craft Fun, Fridays in August (£1 per session), 11am-12pm:

  • 1 August: Design your own rock monster

  • 8 August: Decorate a soft ball

  • 15 August: Decorate a friendly gnome wooden stake

  • 22 August: Make a bug glider

• Lego Sessions, Thursday 7, 14 and 21 August, 2-4pm

• August Kidsfest, Thursday 28 August – Join us for a dinosaur themed day with crafts, colouring and a dinosaur hunt! Free event, but donations welcome.

Theale Library

• Rock painting, Thursday 7 August 2pm-4pm

• Lego Club, Wednesday 13 August 1-4pm – Make a cool treehouse. Suggested donation £1.

• Junk modelling, Thursday 14 August 2pm – 4pm – Build an amazing scarecrow. Suggested donation £1.

• Quick Craft – Paper plate goose, Wednesday 20th August 1pm

• Decorate garden pot and plant a seed, Thursday 21 August 2:15 – 4:15pm. £3 per person.

• Paint a bird house – Thursday 28 August 2:15 – 4:15pm. £3 per person.

• Teddy Bears Picnic, Friday 29 August 1:30pm – 3 pm – Bring along your teddy bear. Story and Music followed by biscuit decorating – refreshments provided. £2 per person.

• Leckhampstead Village Hall: 6 August and every first Wednesday of each month, 10am to 12pm

• Compton Village Hall: 14 August and every second Thursday of each month, 10.15am to 11.45am

• Upper Basildon, St Stephens Church: 11 August and every second Monday of each month, 10am to 12pm

Adults and children are invited to come along to find a selection of books to borrow.

New library members are especially welcome.

Enjoy an evening of Italian conversation with fun games and activities, perfect for anyone who is beginning to learn Italian as well as more advanced linguists.

Drinks and snacks provided. Booking essential as places are limited.

Please contact the library for more information and to book.

Ageing Creatively

Try something new, share your talents, or enjoy a friendly chat over tea – drop in to their Ageing Creatively Community Café for over 50s, run by Theale Library in association with the Corn Exchange, Newbury.

The cafe continues to run on Mondays, 1.30 to 2.30pm, throughout the summer.

This month’s activities include:

• Monday 11 August: craft session using air dry clay. We will be pressing flowers and other shapes with it.

• Monday 18 August: art session with Kylie Wright from the Corn Exchange. Suitable for both experienced artists and anyone trying this for the first time.

• Monday 25 August: library closed for Bank Holiday. The café will be open again on Monday 1 September.

Are you looking after grandchildren during the summer?

Bring them along and join their family-friendly seated exercise session, led by Get Berkshire Active.

This is a drop-in event, no advance booking required.

Is your child starting school in September?

They have free Storytimes designed especially for children starting Reception this autumn.

Go and explore stories and activities that support early learning and boost confidence.

All of these sessions last about 30 minutes; no need to book.

Thatcham Library – Tuesday 19 August at 12 noon

Hungerford Library – Tuesday 19 August at 3pm

Newbury Library – Thursday 21 August at 11am

Theale Library – Wednesday 27 August at 1pm

Burghfield Common Library – Wednesday 27 August at 2.30pm

Pangbourne Library – Friday 29 August at 2.30pm

Join them at Newbury Library on 4 September as they talk to bestselling author Jasper Fforde about his books and prolific writing career.

Tickets £5.

For more details and to book online: https://tinyurl.com/wberkslibraries11

Please note that all tickets have been sold for their August Author Chat with Ben Aaronovitch

Don’t forget that in addition to books they have plenty of other items available for you to borrow, such as BBC Micro:bits offering fun with coding, Wellbeing Bags with a mix of books, activities and ideas to help you maintain your health and wellbeing, Reminiscence Collection boxes with nearly 40 themes to choose from, and a range of jigsaws.

If you are going away this summer, why not take the library with you? We have a wide range of e-books, e-magazines, e-audiobooks and e-newspapers for you to read or listen to for free from your smartphone or tablet and you can now find them all in one place, on BorrowBox. In addition to 15 printed books or audiobooks, you can borrow up to seven e-books or e-audiobooks at a time.