As part of National Libraries Day on Saturday 9 February 2013, staff and students at Coventry University’s Lanchester Library will be hosting a free event to highlight the many different facets of what libraries today are able to offer visitors.

National Libraries Day is an annual event dedicated to the celebration of libraries and librarians. It marks the culmination of a week’s worth of festivities in schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and public libraries across the UK. The inaugural National Libraries Day was held on 4 February 2012 but this year marks the first time the event is being celebrated at Coventry University.

Staff at the University are joining forces with their colleagues at the city’s Central Library to offer a packed programme of informative and fun events and activities for visitors of all ages and backgrounds, including:

• Information sessions about the wide range of services that libraries offer;
• Paul Maddock, the Vice Chairman of the Coventry Society, giving a talk about the about the heritage and history of the buildings and grounds surrounding the Lanchester Library;
• An ‘Emergency Poet’ delivering appropriate literature prescriptions to visitors;
• An audio art installation;
• Question and answer sessions in which visitors can have their say about the services they’d like to see  at their libraries;
• Dance and music performances within a specially designated studio space;
• Impromptu Book Clubs for visitors to discuss their favourite texts;

Collections will also be taken throughout the day for Books for Africa, a charity which provides educational tools, including books and computers, to classrooms throughout Africa.

Karen Elliston, Assistant Liaison Librarian at Coventry University’s Lanchester Library, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting this event to mark National Libraries Day. The Lanchester Library provides a vital resource for our students and plays a big part of campus life but beyond the student experience, libraries perform an important function in cities and communities across the country.

“There’s much more to libraries than books and together with our colleagues from the Central Library, we’re looking forward to showcasing the diverse range of services, facilities and recreational activities that libraries offer. It should be a fun day and we hope to convince people that might not normally visit their library that whatever their interest there’s something there for them.”

The event which is being held to celebrate National Libraries Day is free to attend and takes place from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 9 February 2013 at The Lanchester Library, Coventry University, Gosford Street, Coventry CV1 5DD.

National Libraries Day

For further information about National Libraries Date visit www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk.