Andrew from Lewisham Libraries recently visited Prendergast Vale School in Lewisham to talk to a group of Year 9 and 10 students, their English teacher, and the School Librarian, about all things book related. The students openly discuss the books they love, the books they dislike and the books that leave a lasting impression on the, both good and bad, touching upon topics such as racism, censorship, the separation of art from artist and whether the love of reading is something they can discuss with their friends.

Prendergast Vale School on Twitter

To celebrate LGBT History month, we have contributions from from two local authors.

First we hear from Simon James Green, a Young Adult's author from Sydenham who talks to us about his five LGBT YA novels and reads an excerpt from one. Then Andreena Leanne, writer, poet and lived experience speaker, reads two of her poems for us.

Interview with Simon James Green

Books by Simon James Green

eBooks by Simon James Green

https://www.simonjamesgreen.com/

Interview with Andreena Leanne

Books by Andreena Leanne

https://www.andreena.co.uk/

Lewisham is the London Mayor's London Borough of Culture 2022, with Day One of celebrations kicking off on Friday 28th January.

Rachel from Lewisham Libraries speaks to both Vicky Amedume, Associate Director at The Albany, and Kellie Blake, Senior Producer of Lewisham Council Culture Team. They talk about Lewisham and The Albany's roles this year and We Are Lewisham, which will be co-produced by and with the people of Lewisham for a year of stories and celebrations.

For more information about Lewisham's London Borough of Culture programme and how to get involved, visit "We Are Lewisham"

On the 18th October, award winning author Candice Carty-Williams came to Lewisham Library to speak to a group of students from Prendergast Vale School. 

For further insight into the event, read our accompanying blog written by Paul from Lewisham Library

https://lewishamlibraries.wordpress.com/2021/11/05/you-just-need-to-be-how-you-are-advice-from-author-candice-carty-williams/

Reserve copies of Queenie and Empress & Aniya -

https://tlc.ent.sirsidynix.net.uk/client/en_GB/lewisham/search/results?qu=Carty-Williams%2C+Candice%2C+1989-+author.&lm=LEWISHAM

Last year, Paul from Lewisham Library presented a 3 part look at the music, legacy and positive influence of Robert Nesta Markey to celebrate what would have been his 75th birthday. Listen again as Paul takes us through Marleys career, from his early days in the 'Wailing Wailers' through to his premature death in 1981

National Poetry Day

Chrissie Gittins lives in Forest Hill in the Borough of Lewisham. She writes poetry, radio drama, short stories and poetry for children. Day to celebrate you leaving home is taken from one of her adult poetry collections Sharp Hills (2019)

Efe Nakpodia  a Lewisham resident and poet reads ‘when’ from his second poetry collection White Noise and Carousels.

Sarah Lipton-Sidibeh reads Stagnation from The First Collection (2020)  She writes short stories, poetry, plays, children's books, film scripts, song lyrics and educational textbooks.

Sharmay Mitchell reads three poems, Tight-rope, I never let a poem and The loving vice. She is a Londoner of Saint Lucian and Dominican heritage. By day she works in behavioural research and the rest of her time is spent in creative pursuits such as poetry-writing, making stop-motion videos, illustration and jewellery-making.  Her debut poetry collection is 'be the Uplifter: Positive Poems' www.sharmaymitchell.com

Copies of the collections are available in Lewisham Libraries – catalogue

Banned Books week takes place from 26 September – 2 October with the theme Books unite us, censorship divides us.

Lewisham libraries staff read out snippets from their selection of censored books and from the books they think unite us

View the full video here

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1188978444927253

For more information on Banned Books Week, visit...

www.bannedbooksweek.org

Jody Burton co-author of Black London: History, Art & Culture in Over 120 Places talks to Andrew Mohammed, Community Engagement Team Senior Library Assistant about her book written with co-author Avril Nanton and published in June this year. We find out how we need to ‘slow down and look up’ to see what we have missed of black history, culture and art as we have rushed about London. This special travel guide showcases the historical sites where the remarkable individuals who made London a truly global, modern city are celebrated.

Jody grew up in Deptford, South London, and talks about the importance of local history as well as global. She read Caribbean studies and is a librarian in Southwark and a self-acknowledged bibliophile with a particular interest in black history and art.

Copies available from our libraries

https://tlc.ent.sirsidynix.net.uk/client/en_GB/lewisham/search/results?qu=black+london&te=&lm=LEWISHAM

Social media links

https://www.instagram.com/jodyb_21

https://www.instagram.com/blacklondon21/

https://www.instagram.com/avrilswalksandtalks/

Lewisham Libraries Outreach Officer Rachel New talks to Lewisham author Jo Clegg about her debut novel ‘The Summer Holiday’. A funny light-hearted chat about the summer holidays we probably haven’t been able to go on this year.

Jo Clegg also writes for Hey Duggee on BBC CBeebies, parents of young children will know this well.

Copies of the Summer Holiday and lots of Hey Duggee titles are available in our libraries.

https://joclegg.com

https://twitter.com/jocleggwriter