by Library Admin | 10 Oct 2021 | authors, books, FRONT PAGE NEWS
Our first ever in person meeting today, in the activity room at the library. A couple of work-based absences, but most of us made it there in person, with a rather modern dial-in on Zoom by one member. It worked, after a fashion.
Remarkably, a majority of us had read the book this time, and most of us enjoyed it, some with reservations. We talked about the major themes in the book, as we saw them – loneliness, the ethics of “lifting”, artificial intelligence and its role in society, what it means to be human, and the ambiguity of much of Ishiguro’s writing.
As a diehard Ishiguro fan, I loved the book and found it very engaging. Others found it difficult to identify or empathise with the Klara as an AI, although we generally felt her to be more sympathetic a character than most of the humans! There was much to discuss, and I think I’m safe in saying that we would recommend the book to others.
For next time, we will be reading Paradise, by Abdulrazak Gurnah. Born in Zanzibar in 1948 , Abdulrazak Gurnah now lives in the UK and teaches at the University of Kent. Paradise was shortlisted for the 1994 Booker and Whitbread Prizes. Mr Gurnah won the Nobel Prize for literature this year, “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents”. We’ll meet at the library, all being well, on Sunday 21 November, 1030-1130. Please do read along and let us know what you think.
by Admin | 4 Feb 2018 | books, latest |
It’s the second birthday of our pop-up library at Willesden Green Station. Yes, it’s been two whole years since TfL allowed us to install our shelves and publicity materials at the station. In that time, we estimate we’ve placed over 1000 books. The library gets an approximately 500 visits a week, which is pretty amazing. Most of the stock is provided by Sonja, who also houses our larger collection of around 15,000 books in her garage, and has done for the last four years. The stock is topped up by donations to Sonja (who can also arrange to collect books locally), and by kind and generous supporters who drop books off on their way through the library.
In the time since the Willesden Green pop up was established, two more outposts have sprung up – one in Cricklewood Thameslink station forecourt, and the other in Kilburn Station. Both are restocked by volunteers, and are also very busy and much appreciated by visitors.
Recently, we’ve noticed that replenished stock has been cleared out very quickly – possibly by people not borrowing the books to read, but taking them to sell. There’s not a lot we can do about this, as the books are open access, but if you spot this kind of thing happening, please let the station staff know. Be assured that no-one from the library organisation will ever clear books out of the pop up libraries – we have enough books to stock our library when it finally opens, honest!
In order to help reduce theft, we’re thinking of introducing a stickering system, to make the books less saleable, but this will be labour intensive. If you’ve a better idea, please share! We really want the library to carry on, even after the permanent library is restored opposite Gladstone Park as we know it’s very much valued by residents and commuters. Please help us by continuing to borrow and return books and keeping your library alive.
by Admin | 27 Feb 2017 | books |
According to Time Out Magazine, these are they.
https://www.timeout.com/london/books/londons-best-bookshops
Do you agree?
by Admin | 18 Feb 2017 | books |
I loved this – may have to apply it to my home collection.
How do YOU sort your books? Or cd collection?
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-s-the-fastest-way-to-alphabetize-your-bookshelf-chand-john
by Admin | 27 Jan 2017 | books, children, reading, tips and advice |
According to Professor Gemma Moss, head of the UCL Institute of Education’s International Literacy Centre, books can help parents discuss gender stereotypes with their children.
If you’re wondering how to find these books, you could do worse than to start with the website A Mighty Girl, or GoodNet.
What do you think?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38770936
by Admin | 13 Jul 2016 | books, donation |
The American School in London has been a very generous supporter of our efforts to re-launch the new Cricklewood Library. We wish to specifically thank Joanne Morris (Lower School Librarian) and Karen Field (Head Librarian) for the donation of many quality books and resources that will benefit library patrons of all ages. These materials are either duplicates, donations they do not require or resources that are no longer needed in the school libraries and include many current titles in very good condition.
In addition, we wish to thank Brandon Block, Director of Service Learning, who has shown great interest and support and is looking for ways that the ASL service learning programmes could be of help to Cricklewood Library. In the past ASL volunteer students, families and staff have participated in Community Service Days when they painted, installed shelving and helped to maintain the outside of the old library. ASL Parents Melissa Janssen and Lisa Kolaja, Coordinators of The Friends of the Libraries at ASL, have also expressed interest in identifying ways that they can support Cricklewood Library.
One of the most significant contributions has come in the form of IT equipment that is no longer needed at ASL but will be of tremendous use to the Library. These desktop computers and laptops will be used at the circulation desk for the library management systems, and also by library patrons. We would like to give a special word of thanks to Ash Lazar, Technology Manager, and Russell Layton, former Director of Technology, who have made possible the donation of this useful IT equipment.
In-kind support and donations such as these items gifted by the American School in London, a UK charitable institution in its own right, will enable Cricklewood Library to become a vibrant and state-of-the-art centre for all of the community. We welcome and look forward to further collaboration with the ASL community.
These donations have been made possible by a member of the Friends of Cricklewood Library who has used his contacts at ASL to help to facilitate these donations. We hope that other supporters of the Friends of Cricklewood Library will consider how their personal knowledge and professional relationships might benefit the new library.
