School Library Events February 2022

A calendar of library events in February with a focus on the best new Scottish teen fiction and LGBT History Month.

School Library Events Monthly Calendar

During December, young people will give their views on how they would like their school library to develop. This is part of Edinburgh Libraries’ new strategy and vision to enhance services over the next five years. Senior students will deliver a Christmas craft activity as part of their Leadership Award course.

Book Week Scotland events take place during November including a book vote, quiz, lucky dip and free tickets for senior students to attend an author event. S1 to S3 students can also enter the Green Pencil Award, a creative writing competition for Edinburgh school children.

We have an exciting preview of trying a range of digital educational kits in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University. Library events are discussed during class visits and detailed on Library Teams which students are invited to join. 

A new Monday lunchtime club starts, there are opportunities to win prizes to encourage reading and a library induction programme begins for S1 students in September.

As the Carnegie book prize draws to a close, we will vote for our favourite and find out if our choice matches the judging panel’s decision. Before the end of June, we will choose new books to add to our manga, crime and horror collections.

The Carnegie Book Club will meet throughout May to read the shortlisted books selected for this year’s award. We will also prioritise our wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week with collaborative activities at our Escape-Connect-Relate Club.

After the Easter holiday, we will shadow this year’s Carnegie Medal Awards and choose our winner from a shortlist of outstanding books written in English for children and young people. We will also promote the #ReadingHour campaign which is at the centre of World Book Night celebrations on 23 April, where people across the UK dedicate time to reading.

During March, we’ll vote for new history books to add to the library collection, ESOL classes will attend creative arts workshops to broaden our cultural experiences within our community, and the lunchtime reading club will shadow this year’s Carnegie Book Awards. Winners of the Book Lucky Dip will be revealed and all students will receive a digital book token to celebrate World Book Day. 

February’s focus is on looking after our mental wellbeing with a range of activities during the Escape Connect Relate lunchtime club. World Book Day vouchers are available as retailers start stocking free books before the main celebration on 7 March. During LGBT History Month, we’ll vote for new books and students can enter a lucky dip to win a book prize. 

In January, we are judging the best science books of 2023 and collaborating with other libraries in a fantasy genre craft event. We will also find out which book series won the Manga vote.

There is an opportunity for students to choose a new book series, meet some furry creatures at the Small Animals Club and win a prize before the December holiday.

Library events to celebrate Book Week Scotland in November include the launch of a bibliotherapy video and a free book giveaway. During this month, we will start judging this year’s best science books for children and young people.

Before the mid-term break, students can participate in a quiz about banned books, submit their Green Pencil Award creative writing entries, and discover the lucky names of the giveaway winners. 

During September, S1 – S3 students are invited to take part in this year’s environmentally themed creative writing competition: Green Pencil Award 2023.  We are also launching ‘Escape Connect Relate’, our new lunchtime reading for wellbeing club to support our mental health.

In June, we are taking part in a documentary film about libraries, discussing how we can improve our library collection, and the Carnegie book winners are announced.

Throughout May, the Carnegie Club review a shortlist of nominated children’s books and other events focus on mental health and wellbeing.

During the Easter break, the Library will open as a quiet study space for senior students. After the holiday, the Library will continue to provide a place for students to pray at lunchtime throughout Ramadan.

During March, the Creators Club is making zines, the lunchtime reading club shadow the Carnegie Book Awards, and all students will receive a digital book token to celebrate World Book Day.

The Library is supporting Children’s Mental Health Week and celebrating LGBT History Month during February. The Creators Club will finish making a mindfulness colourful jigsaw for display, and our bibliotherapy ambassadors will film a video to explain the range of library resources available to support health and wellbeing.

In January, the weekly book club will feature competitions, the winner of the manga book collection vote is revealed, and the science book group will complete their judging duties with filming a book review video.

In December, students will have opportunities to enter competitions, find out which Manga collection won the token vote count, and ‘The Tynie Scientists’ will make a video to reveal their favourite science book of the year.

Library activities in November include judging the best 2022 science books for children, meeting some ‘Cool Creatures’ during an animal handling session and Book Week Scotland celebrations.

October’s events include a celebration of Black History Month with a focus on fiction from writers of colour and a virtual author event. 

September’s calendar highlights lunchtime and after school clubs, the start of an environmentally themed creative writing competition and a date to vote for a new Manga book series.

April’s events include an opportunity for S4-S6 students to access the library as a quiet study space for exam revision as part of this year’s Easter School Programme.