Every season brings a variety of shows, exhibitions and exciting events to our library networks. Usually, libraries stay connected through a schedule of festivals, exhibitions, free-author events, and informative lectures.

At D-Tech U.S. we’ve brought our heads together and found some innovative ways that libraries are staying connected this spring and summer. From Spring festivals celebrating ‘new beginnings’ to amateur theatre productions, our UK and US libraries are embracing the ‘new beginnings’ and the spring spirit by keeping their communities connected.

Fancy some circus skills? This spring season our friends in the UK are including patrons of all ages in their spring celebrations. Oldham, a town in Greater Manchester is hosting a multi-event roadshow called ‘live@thelibrary’. Across the spring months, the town will be hosting events in multiple library locations including a circus skills workshop and a futuristic sci-fi production. Oldham Council Heritage, Library, and Arts are making it the perfect family event with children 12 months and under given free admission to all events and performances across the spring period.

However, it’s not just the children that are getting involved this spring, Oldham Council has partnered with the Oldham library network to deliver exclusive literature, heritage, and art events for a wider audience. Creative workshops, theatre performances, and exclusive author talks, including author Sandi Mann’s talk of ’10 Minutes to Happiness’ and the drama ‘Happy Place’ have been running throughout the spring months.

Spring into action at the Edmonson County Public Library’s Spring Fest at end of April! Proven to be incredibly popular events and celebrations for the new season, Edmonson is promising an exciting event full of live music, a baking contest, local produce, face painting for the children, and vendors to browse.

Find out more about setting up as a vendor and event information here!

The British Library in London has been advertising its exclusive celebrity-hosted event, ‘Calls of the Wild with Cosmo Sheldrake’. The event, hosted by musician, author, and broadcaster Cerys Matthews, gives patrons the opportunity to experience cutting-edge science, discover a forgotten underwater realm and decode the languages of dolphins, seals and whales.

The event also includes a sound bath marking the spring season by Tom Mustill, a filmmaker and writer specialising in stories where people and nature met together. Boasting an impressive contacts book including Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Fry and Greta Thunberg it promises to be an interesting event.

Click here for ticket and event information.

A different kind of library in Westport New York is opening its door to the community by introducing a series of lectures designed to foster a stronger community spirit. The Wadham Free Library is ‘the little library with a big window on the world’ that hosts library events and talks around the changing community and library networks. This spring they are introducing the Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance with two guest speakers from the library network.

Discover how the Westport-Wadhams Community are staying connected here.

The YMCA library in Southampton, UK offers communities the opportunities to get involved with group activities and local services to improve their mental and physical health. Getting involved with community projects and activities can help limit social isolation and encourage patrons to connect with others in their immediate community. The library, which is run by the charity YMCA offers support for those who find social interaction difficult and face challenges with their confidence.

As well as a library function and crucial support for those in the community, services and clubs are offered throughout the week. Clubs are constantly changing with the latest offers being, a toy library for children, a knitting club, theme junk modelling classes and a craft session.

Library networks all over the globe continue to offer patrons and service users support, community events, and the opportunity to lessen isolation and loneliness this spring. During the spring and summer time, libraries remain at the centre of our communities providing crucial support and social interaction to patrons of all ages.