Category: Blog post

Posted on

A resolution we can all keep, read more books – podcast 9

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hello, we had a great chat today on the ninth Library Love Podcast, with loads of excellent reading suggestions. Gavin and Naomi shared what we had recently been reading:
• Gavin read Monstress Volume Two – The Blood by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
• Naomi read Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent and Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

New and forthcoming adult books:
• Anne Boleyn by Amy Licence
• Last Will by William McIntyre
• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
• American Assassin by Vince Flynn
• Beyond the Empire by K. B. Wagers

New and forthcoming children’s books:
• Supertato Evil Pea Rules by Sue Hendra (0-5)
• Zombies and Meatballs by Blake Hoena Moran (5-7)
• Guiness World Record’s Amazing Animals (7-9)
• Matt Millz by Harry Hill (9-11)
• Sweetfreak by Sophie McKenzie (Teen)

DVD recommendations:
• Sing (U)
• Trolls (U)
• Hitman’s Bodyguard (15)
• Ghost in the Shell (12A)

Books enjoyed by Falkirk Libraries Book Groups
We discussed a range of books that have been enjoyed by our reading groups across the Falkirk area. These titles were:
• Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith
• A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman
• The Returned by Seth Patrick
• The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
• Black Eyed Susans by Julia Hearberlin
• The first fifteen lives of Harry August by Claire North
• The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon
• The Boy That Never Was by Karen Perry

Our reading groups meet on the following days/times:

Bo’ness – first Wednesday of the month at 14:00
Bonnybridge – last Monday of every month at 14:00
Falkirk – first Monday of every month at 18:30
Grangemouth – last Thursday of every month at 18:30
Larbert – third Monday of every month at 18:30
Meadowbank – first Tuesday at of the month at 14:00
Meadowbank – first Thursday of the month at 18:30
Slamannan – last Friday of every month at 14:00
Hurricane (online reading group): first meeting is February 22nd at 18:00
Audio book group (based at Forth Valley’s Sensory Centre, all welcome) – the third Tuesday of each month, 10:00-11:00

Did You Know? We have a Home Library Service that visits customers in their homes if they are unable to get to the library? For more information contact 01324 506800

Posted on

Falkirk Libraries Comic Takeover

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mtkFQ3TtT9uL0du62

Around 1000 people came to our Comic Takeover of Falkirk Library on Saturday 25th November. Creator panels, Comic Kids area, Big Quiz, Green Screen Photo Booth and loads of hugely talented artists, crafters and writers sharing their work on our stalls.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nqj148RSOyKiWkln1

A packed day included our Big Geek Quiz. Our winners claimed a tidy haul of Image Comics. Thanks to Image for sending that big box of goodies across the pond!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GPwtmccgGoCvDint1

https://photos.app.goo.gl/x8fuTugOSA09bGK63

Our Green Screen photo booth was huge hit! We dropped visitors into the photo background of their choice, so some boldly went into space, while others stopped at The Shire for second breakfast!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GPERldlY1iwEuzaA2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WD4m8WXD9lYle0pT2

Look at our cute cosplayers! All hail Adventure Time’s Ice King, our costume competition winner!

Our comic kids area was busy all day with Lego and superhero design. We didn’t specify height, so we did get some big kids joining in on the action.

New item by Falkirk Libraries / Google Photos
New item by Falkirk Libraries / Google Photos

We recorded our panel, which you’ll be able to hear shortly here on this blog! Sha Nazir of BHP Comics chaired the discussion with artist Clare Forrest and David Bishop, author and former editor of 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine.

New item by Falkirk Libraries / Google Photos

Here’s Kevin and Grant, regular contributors to our Library Love podcast, with the freebies donated by DC Thompson and the Phoenix Comic.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/T8xOJphjJ4E7ETbe2

Some fine examples of comic creating, produced with printables from our friends at Comic Clubs Blog.

Thanks to everyone who came along! Get more of the story over on Google photos at http://bit.ly/comictofpics.

 

Posted on

All hail Stephen King – podcast 6

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hello lovely podpeople,

we got a bit excited this podcast talking about the wonderful Stephen King who celebrated his 70th birthday this year in September. We also had time to recommend some new and upcoming titles. Grant, Kevin and Lynne joined me (Vikki) to share what we had recently been reading:
• Vikki was still reading Sleeping Beauties by Owen and Stephen King
(it’s a very long novel but excellent!)
• Grant had been rereading Different Seasons and Skeleton Crew
(Two short story compilations by Stephen King)
• Kevin had been rereading the Bill Hodges Trilogy by Stephen King
Mr Mercedes, Finders Keepers, End of Watch
• Lynne had been reading The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

New and forthcoming adult books:
• Nucleus by Rory Clements
• Greyfriars House by Emma Fraser
• Elysium Fire by Alastair Reynolds
• Now we are dead by Stuart Macbride
• The Sons by Anton Svensson

New and forthcoming children’s books:
• Little Miss Stubborn and the Unicorn by Adam Hargreaves (0-5)
• The Winner’s Cup (Pokemon) (5-7)
• I swapped my brother on the Internet by Jo Simmons  (7-9)
• The great Shelby Holmes meets her match by Elizabeth Eulberg (9-11)
• The truth and lies of Ella Black by Emily Barr (Teen)

DVD recommendations:
• War for the Planet of the Apes (12)

Our Reading Agony this time is a customer who was looking for someone who writes similar books to Stephen King and wanted some suggestions. We came up with several suggestions depending which genre of Stephen King was their favourite. So for horror titles we thought possible authors could be
• Clive Barker
• Dean Koontz
• Peter Straub
• James Herbert
In terms of short story collections they could try
• Kate Atkinson –  Not the end of the world
• Ali Smith –  Public Library and other stories

Finally for a fan of The Dark Tower series an author such as
• Neil Gaiman
• Dan Simmons
• Joe Hill

Staff Quote of the day we’ve changed this to King quote
This gem was on his website in the Q&A section

Do you have a haunted house?

“Absolutely not—don’t come to my house on Halloween. We’ve done trick-or-treat a few times and we had 600 or 800 – one time we had 1,400 people show up for candy and treats and it’s fun, it’s great to see everyone, but it wears everybody out and it plays hell with the law so we’re not doing that anymore.”

Our Discussion was all about Stephen King. We talked about the first titles we ever read. Which are our favourites, why we think he is such a great writer, and the many adaptations of his work from page to screen. Some of the titles we mentioned were;
• It
• Salem’s Lot
• Desperation
• The Shining
• Carrie
• Misery
• The Body
• The Green Mile
• Lisey’s Story
• Gunslinger (Part 1 Dark Tower Series)

For a really comprehensive list of Stephen King’s work visit his website

Let us know your favourite Stephen King book or favourite adaptation.

The Did You Know? segment this week was all about the many and varied stock promotions available throughout the year in libraries for adults, an ideal opportunity to pick something new and different to try.

Thanks very much for listening and if you want to get in touch with us, then please come and chat with us on Facebook (Falkirk Libraries), Twitter (@LibFalkirk) or here on our website www.librarylovefalkirk.com