Libraries

As Tameside Council takes steps to protect the community and redeploy its workforce and resources to deliver essential services, libraries and some other public facings buildings will close and some other public facing buildings are now closed and services will instead be delivered in alternative ways. The changes took effect from midnight on Wednesday 18 March 2020.
 

During this period libraries will still provide the following services:

• Access to our full suite of digital services, which includes e-books, e-audio books, digital magazines and newspapers, and other online resources.

• Access to your library account online. From this you can renew any items, manage your reservations, and change personal details.

• Telephone enquiry service. You can get help and advice with your information or library enquiries by phoning Ashton Library on 0161 342 2029 or 0161 342 2031 Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm. You can also renew your library items over the phone.

• Email enquiry service. You can get help and advice with your information or library enquiries by emailing information.direct@tameside.gov.uk

• Live Web Chat. Available Monday - Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm from any Tameside Libraries web page. Click the Web Chat link on the right hand side of the screen, choose Library Service and click Connect. A member of our team will be with you as soon as possible.

• Join online. If you are not currently a library member but wish to join you can do this by completing the online application form on the website or by telephoning Ashton library.

• Please note that no events or activities organised by library staff will take place.

Return of items - we are asking customers to keep any library materials they have on loan until further notice. Items can be renewed, and we would like to reassure library customers that during this period they will not incur any fines should items become overdue.
 

For more information please email information.direct@tameside.gov.uk or phone Ashton Library on 0161 342 2029 or 0161 342 2031.

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 18-24 May 2020 and this year the theme is kindness and its potential to transform. It is estimated that around one in four people have a mental health problem each year with current concerns about Coronavirus affecting a high proportion of UK adults, over half of whom believe that this is affecting their mental wellbeing with over 40 percent reporting high levels of anxiety.

Kindness has the potential to help protect our mental health and have a positive impact on lives in our schools, places of work, communities and families in the wake of Covid-19.

Wellbeing reads from Reading Well

• There is a Reading Well for Mental Health Collection from the Reading Agency.
  • See on the Library Catalogue.
  • Go to the Reading Agency site.
• Check out our Reading Well page. 

Reading for wellbeing on BorrowBox 

Books can not only help us understand and sympathise with greater kindness, but also offer valuable insight into the lives and minds of authors and characters with experience of mental illness.

• Go straight to BorrowBox and log in with your Library Card and PIN.
  • Find out more about eReading
• Not yet a member? Join online now and start using BorrowBox for free eBooks and eAudiobooks today.

Other suggestions and activities for Mental Heath Awareness Week 

• Take the Mental Health Foundation Take Action, Get Active 2020 challenge to get you moving and feeling good.
• Every Mind Matters form Mental Health at Work has useful toolkits and resources to help you assess your mental health and start to improve your wellbeing.
• Local mental health support is available.

Online resources to keep children informed and occupied

There’s a wealth of useful resources on the internet to help with children’s homework, keeping them engaged with learning and reading even whilst they’re not at school. Look out for more ideas via our Social Media.

@Tameside_Libraries      @tmbc_culture

Encyclopedia Britannica is free to Tameside Libraries members, click the links and type in your library card number to log in.
Encyclopedia Britannica - Junior edition  (ages 5 to 10)
Encyclopedia Britannica - Student edition  (ages 10 to 14)
Encyclopedia Britannica - Adult edition  (ages 14 and up)
BorrowBox – maintain reading and language skills with a range of eBooks & eAudioBooks.
PressReader – Stay informed with daily national & international newspapers and amagazines, practise French, German or another language with the many foreign titles. Learn to cook, sew or get them engaged with a comic.
RB Digital – Older children may find eMagazines useful for homework, reading skills or keeping up with hobbies and interests.
The Booktrust has a range of fun things to do and inspiring items from authors and illustrators. Booktrust Hometime
Chatterpack have a list of a list of free, online, boredom-busting resources! There’s something for everyone here so we can all learn along together. Chatterpack boredom busters
The BBC’s Tiny Happy People is a new project with a wealth of ideas on giving babies and toddlers the best possible start on speech and language, so important to their future development and achievement. Tiny Happy People
Story Makers author Caryl Hart has put together a collection of resources that authors & illustrators are creating for those in isolation and home learning. Caryl Hart Children’s books
Openculture Guide to free cultural and educational media on the web http://www.openculture.com/
The Maths Factor is Carol Vorderman’s fun maths tutorials linked to the national curriculum for 4-12 year olds is free during the coronavirus school closures (it is usually £2 per week). https://www.themathsfactor.com/
Chetham’s School of Music Outreach team have created some fantastic music activities, suitable for all ages that you can enjoy. https://outreach.chethams.com/resources/
Collins Educational Publishers have made a range of free resources available to help support your child's learning at home, while schools are closed. https://collins.co.uk/pages/support-learning-at-home
Bloomsbury Digital Resources are available to  members of Tameside Libraries until the end of May providing a rich source of textbooks on arts, culture, fashion, religion and sports science. Virtual Reference - Bloomsbury
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre will be sharing a wealth of science learning resources and activities through our website over the coming weeks whilst they are closed. https://www.jodrellbank.net/sciencelearningathome/
World Book Online is currently available providing a range of high quality information via 7 online resources to meet the needs of the general public, young learners, and students at all ages and levels. Username: jcs010PL Password: Project http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Login?ed=wb&subacct=JCS

Tameside Libraries are participating in a project by Global Grooves - Can you help find The Missing Patch?

A hot air balloon has come down in Tameside. A man is desperate to get to Rio in time for Carnival.

‘Questions, questions! We don’t have time for questions! Can’t you just get me a new patch? Then I’ll be in Rio in no time!’

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I’ve got some friends that can help.’

What’s the project?
 

Our friends in the Tameside Carnival arts organisation, Global Grooves, have stumbled across a downed hot air balloon. Can you help them find The Missing Patch and help the eccentric pilot on his way to Rio for Carnival?
 
Visit themissingpatch.org to read the story and hear from our hot air balloon pilot and then write what happens next in the story!

The challenge

You could be an author! Submit your work and you could feature in the Global Grooves digital storybook that will then be available on Borrowbox, The Tameside Libraries eBook lending service, for people to borrow and read.  We will also share our favourite Missing Patch poems and stories on our social media channels.


Prefer to make or draw something?
Then you could also:

• Request a batik kit to create your own patch at home.
• Design your own batik patch by drawing round a dinner plate and decorating it however you choose.

You can find out more at https://themissingpatch.org/ where you can also upload and submit your creations.


Got any questions?
Please email hello@themissingpatch.org or call 0161 8706895 and the Global Grooves team will be happy to help.
 
But make haste! We haven’t long to get the hot air balloon on its way!
 

Online resources to keep you occupied and involved

There’s a wealth of useful resources on the internet to help with you overcome loneliness and frustration if you’re isolating or social distancing. Look out for more ideas and activities via our Social Media.

@Tameside_Libraries   @tmbc_culture
 

BorrowBox – Reading is so important to improve general knowledge, mental functions, focus and concentration. It has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and can boost sleep quality. Keep reading with BorrowBox.
PressReader – Stay informed with daily national & international newspapers or lose yourself with a magazine.
RB Digital – More eMagazines to help with everything from the TV schedules to general hobbies and interests.
Learn My Way - Free and simple online courses for I.T. beginners. Register here with your email the first time then log back into the same account next time. Please use the centre code 3457097. To try at home download the instructions.
iDEA - Free online courses to improve your digital skills; collect badges as you complete units and build up to an award. Register here with an email account and use the badge code TANDGIDEA to get your first two points! To try at home download the instructions.
Chatterpack have a list of a list of free, online, boredom-busting resources! There’s something for everyone here so we can all learn along together. Chatterpack boredom busters
Mind have a useful page to support those who are feeling anxious or stressed by the Coronavirus situation with lots of suggestions that could help your wellbeing. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
The National Theatre Live are offering productions via YouTube. There’ll be a new play each week from Thursday 2 April for those who are missing their cultural outings. http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout99-national-theatre-at-home
Medici TV features a range of videos featuring Ballet, Opera, Classical Music as well as documentaries and Masterclasses from around the world. Medici TV is currently free for Tameside Libraries members with their library card. Offer ends on Friday 22 May 2020. https://www.tameside.gov.uk/libraries/onlineservices#medici
Age UK’s Call in Time service is a free telephone friendship service for people 60 and over. They'll match you up with a likeminded person who's keen to make a new friend, and every week they'll give you a call. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/befriending-services/sign-up-for-telephone-befriending/
Sport England’s Stay in, work out page gives tips, advice and guidance on how to keep or get active in and around your home. https://www.sportengland.org/stayinworkout
FutureLearn offers lots of free undergraduate modules that you can study online, check out the literature courses or explore other topics. https://www.futurelearn.com/subjects/literature-courses
BBC History Extra is the web version of BBC History Magazine and currently has free access to articles and podcasts https://www.historyextra.com/
The Reader is a national charity promoting reading and literature as a tool for helping people to live well. Their daily reading is available on social media. https://www.thereader.org.uk/get-involved/whats-on/daily-reading/
uLIBRARY is offering free to access for all until 31 July 2020 including access to 500 of the most popular audiobooks and the uLIBRARY book clubs membership. Register here and receive your login details via email. www.ulibrary.net/register
World Book Online products. A range of high quality resources designed to meet the needs of the general public, young learners, and students at all ages and levels. Username: jcs010PL Password: Project http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Login?ed=wb&subacct=JCS
Bloomsbury Digital Resources are available to members of Tameside Libraries until the end of May providing a rich source of textbooks on arts, culture, fashion, religion and sports science. Virtual Reference - Bloomsbury