Regular Events

Regular weekly events in the children's library that run throughout the year.

Reading group meets once a month.

Writing group meets once a month.

Spanish Lessons for children Saturdays.

What's your best book of all time?
‘Catcher in the Rye’? ‘War and Peace’? ‘The Gruffalo’?

To celebrate the 110th anniversary of the opening of the Upper Norwood Joint Library in 1900, we are inviting all Crystal Palace and Norwood residents to vote for their favourite books of all time. There will be prizes for three lucky entrants, which will be drawn at random at our Writer’s Day event in September.
This poll of local readers will be our attempt to produce a definitive list of fantastic writing – as voted for by you! Later this year, we will be producing a souvenir ‘reader’s guide’ to your all-time Top 30 books.

Pick up a voting form in the library or click here to download and print one now to drop in to the library on your next visit.

Summer 'Space Hop' reading challenge
This summer we are taking part in the national summer reading scheme and all children aged between 5 and 11 who are ready to 'blast off' for the Space Hop reading challenge can register from the 1st July. Membership to this library is required before registration to this exciting 'space race'. The challenge is to read six books during the summer holidays and make your special 'lunar landing' to collect your medal and certificate before 13th September.

Children who are good readers at 4 years old may register and children aged 12 may also register if they wish to take part!

Don't forget, we also run the Bookstart Book Crawl Challenge all year round for pre-school children and babies who need to be read to by their parents, carers or older siblings.

Usborne Book Sale
There will be a book stall on Saturday 21st August from 2pm - 5pm. Come and buy a book for someone special. The more books sold via our Usborne representative, the more free books she will be able to give to the library!
So far this year we have had £200 worth of Usborne books given to us, thanks to customers buying books in the last six months and these books can now be borrowed from our Usborne display stand in the children's library.

Heshima Family Centre Fun Day:
Friday 30th July 11am – 4pm
Come along to the Heshima family centre behind Sainsbury’s down Coxwell Road and have some family fun. There will be stalls, games, free food, story-telling, a magic show, live music, a raffle and a bouncy castle. Whilst there, you can find out what Heshima can offer you and your family all year round.

Summer Activities for Children

For children aged between 5 and 12 years we are running a program of Summer Activites from Thursday 29th July until Thursday 2nd September. All sessions cost £1 per child to be booked and paid in advance to avoid disappointment as space is limited.

Thursday 29th July 2.30 -4pm
Based on the story ‘You can’t eat a princess!’ by Gillian Rogerson and SarahMcIntyre this session will include fun with chocolate!

Thursday 5th August 2.30 -4pm
Meet Loretta D’Souza author/illustrator of ‘Sonny and the Sea Tractor’ and make a seagull mobile to take home for your bedroom.

Thursday 12th August 2.30 -4pm
Fiona will tell the story of ‘The man on the Moon’
by Simon Bartram.

Thursday 19th August 2.30 -4pm
Meet Lynda Waterhouse, author of ‘Blue Moon Ballet’.
She will be running a drama workshop.

Thursday 26th August 2.30 -4pm
Francis Bridge will be teaching you how to
draw aliens from outer space!

Thursday 2nd September 2.30 -4pm
Based on the Charlie and Lola story ‘Whoops, but it wasn’t me!’ by Lauren Child, we will be making a rocket to launch at home or in the park.

Stories-in-the-parks

Fridays from 11am to 12.30 - Free events.
Fiona will be visiting various parks in the area this summer to tell stories and sing songs. These are family events so parents need to stay with their children for the duration of their visit.
Bring your own picnic for afterwards if you would like to.
Friday 6th August Westow Park
Friday 13th August Venue to be confirmed
Friday 20th August Beaulieu Heights
Friday 27th August Crystal palace Park (by The Corner near the bus terminus)

Events

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Opening hours
Monday  10-7pm
Tuesday   9-7pm
Wednesday  Closed
Thursday  9-7pm
Friday  9-7pm
Saturday 9-5pm