The Ward Library is very grateful for the support it has been given over the last few weeks, with the uncertainty over the Mobile and Family Library service. March was very busy at the Library, and Saturday 31st March was one of the busiest Saturdays of the year. It has been great the support the Local Authority Libraries have also received during this worrying time.

Thank you to everyone who paid their library subscription for the year ending 31st March 2012. There are still several regular borrowers, who have not paid, yet still have books out on loan; please pay as soon as possible.

Please note the subscriptions have increased as from the 1st April 2012, which was another reason I was trying to get as many subscriptions in as possible. Junior/Student fees have not altered.

St Johns Pre School
The Ward Library had a visit from St Johns Pre School last week.

The first class came in the morning, and the second class came in the afternoon. They all took part in a Treasure Hunt at the Library and there will be one winner from each class who will receive a book as a prize. The children were able to pick a book and help practice the date stamping for their chosen book; they were also busy with activity sheets.

I am very grateful to the Staff and the volunteer helpers who made sure they all arrived and returned safely. They all behaved beautifully and were a credit to the school.

Don't forget you can renew your books online.

The popular Book Sale is still continuing, what started as a temporary sale seems to have become a permanent fixture; there are plenty of bargain books on offer, suitable for all ages.

The Library has just received the - three more Audio recording from the Peel Heritage Trust:
Lindsay and Bernie Quayle - Manx Connections. 

Jennifer Leece - Of Course You Can't Print This! and

'Hector' Emanuelli - War Time Memories of a Peel Internee.  Mr Emanuelli has been mentioned here before, after the Library received a copy of his book and subsequent visit, the Peel Heritage Trust invited him over again and recorded this CD in April of this year.  Although the CDs cannot be be borrowed, the Trust have donated a CD Player and anyone is welcome to use earphones and listen to them in the Library during lending hours. Now the clocks have altered it maybe an interesting way to pass the time over the next few months. The Library now has 17 of these audio CDs.
 
The Library had a visit from two classes from the Peel Clothworkers School before half term.  It was fortunate the weather held, as rain and gale force winds swept in later in the day. I am very grateful to the teachers and helpers who ensured the children got here and back safely. It was a very hectic morning, but once again my assistant and I were very impressed with the behaviour of all the children and they were a credit to the school. During the visit a Treasure Hunt was held and arrangements are being made to award a small prize to one lucky pupil from each class.

At the end of September 2011 the Library was 104 years old.  It does not seem four years since the Library celebrated its Centenary, which made the news that Miss Freda Moore had passed away so sad.  Miss Moore enjoyed the Centenary displays so much she came back several times, when it was quieter to see them again. The Library also lost another supporter when Miss Joan Pickering died recently. Already a member of the Library before I took over in 1984 she had been using the Library for many years.  At Christmas time, Miss Pickering always made a donation to the Junior Library to buy some books. Both ladies will be missed around the Town by their many friends.

On Saturday 1st October, the Librarian was invited to the unveiling of the portrait of Mr. Eddie Leece,  at the Leece Museum. There was a wonderful turn out and many family and friends were there. Mr Leece was for many years the Town Member for the Ward Library and it is lovely that he has been remembered this way.  Congratulations to Roy Baker and the  Leece Museum Trustees, for arranging the occasion.

The Ward Library has recently recieved copies of two books for the Sophia Morrison Manx Collection.
The first book is by David Wright, and is called 'Mountain Milestones' -100 Years of the T T Mountain Course. It unearths a multitude of new facts and information, covered mile by mile the book shares the thoughts of riders and how sections got their memorable placenames.  Many original photographs and maps are included in the book.  The book is available for reference in the Library.

The second book is called 'Peel a Slice of Time' and has been wonderfully brought together by Vic Bates and Bill Quine from the Peel Heritage Trust.  Although the book charts the story of the Peel Schooner 'The Phoebe' it also has many articles from the Peel City Guardian, many of which make hilarious reading.  This book is also full of many interesting photographs and maps and there is a special mention of Mr James Kewley Ward the man who enabled the Ward Library to be built and Miss Sophia Morrison, along with photographs from the Leece Museum and the Ward Library collections.



Wireless access on your own laptop

Wi-Fi connection is now available at the Ward Library.

•  Library staff will provide general information on the settings, but will not be responsible for any changes users have to make to their computer settings.

•  Printers will not be available via the wireless connection and users will only be able to use their own battery power.

•  Users will also have to agree and sign the existing Library Internet Policy.

• Wi-Fi users must also be aware that this connection is provided by the Commissioners as a public service, and cannot guarantee that the use of the wireless connection is secure, or that privacy is protected.   The use of this connection is entirely at the risk of the user.

• The more people using the system the weaker the signal will become, and at times there may be a restriction to the number of users.

• Normal internet charges will apply to cover the cost of the system.