More Photos of the Japanese Day 20/8/11

Clare Kirwan, who works at the Wallasey Central Library has sent us some photos from the Japanese Day to share.

Japanese Day @ Wallasey Central Library 20th August 2011

Last Saturday, the Friends of the Library with members of the Japanese community on Merseyside held a Japanese Day at the Library to raise funds for the Japan Red Cross Tsunami Appeal and the Friends Group. The day was a great success with over £1,100 raised. More than 1000 people of all ages visited the event.

The people who attended were entertained to displays of Japanese arts and crafts on display, including painting and haikus. There was story-telling for all ages from the land of the rising sun. There were also displays on bonsai plants, samurai armour and aikido.

Many of the visitors participated in calligraphy, painting, haiku and basic Japanese language lessons with many also taking the chance to try on a kimono.

Below is a slide show of all the fun:

The Friends also ran a bookstall at the event which is about to become a regular feature at the Library to raise funds - watch this space!

Many thanks to all those people who turned up and were so generous! Thanks also to the all the people who helped make the day such a success especially Natsuko Isa and Paul Cook.

If you enjoyed the event then we promise similar fund raising events in the future.

Michael Carson Talk 5th September 2011

6.00 - 7.00pm
5th September 2011
Wallasey Central Library
Earlston Road
Wallasey
CH45 5DX

An opportunity to meet one of New Brighton's best known writers as we await the publication of his latest book about his character Benson.

Michael Carson is the pen name of British author Michael Wherly. He is best known for his Benson trilogy of novels, about a young man growing up Catholic and homosexual.

Carson was born in 1946 in Wallasey, in the north-west of England. He was brought up a devout Catholic.

After attending Aberystwyth and Oxford universities, and training at International House World Organisation in London, he spent twenty years teaching English as a Foreign Language primarily in the Arab world. He has lectured in writing at Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool and the University of Lancaster. He mentors for Crossing Borders, a project to encourage African writers. Carson won the Writers Inc prize in 2006 for his story All over the Place. He has also worked as a lifeguard.

Carson released a collection of short stories in 1993, Serving Suggestions, published by Victor Gollancz (ISBN 0-552-99586-X), which includes "The Punishment of Luxury". A further collection of short stories, The Rule of Twelfths, was published by Headland in May 2008.[4] Fifty short stories by Michael Carson have also featured on BBC Radio Four. Wikipedia

Michael Carson's books include:

Sucking Sherbet Lemons ISBN 0-552-99348-4
Stripping Penguins Bare ISBN 0-552-99465-0
Yanking Up The Yoyo ISBN 0-552-99524-X
Friends and Infidels ISBN 0-552-99380-8
Coming Up Roses ISBN 0-552-99421-9
Demolishing Babel ISBN 0-385-40431-X
Dying in Style ISBN 1-853-71817-3
Hubbies ISBN 1-853-71678-2
The Knight of the Flaming Heart ISBN 0-385-40651-7

All the above books are available to borrow at the Library. My tip is to start with the original Benson trilogy - Sucking Sherbet Lemons, Stripping Penguins Bare and Yanking Up The Yoyo.

'Irresistible' The Guardian. 'Makes you want to cheer' The New Yorker. 'A Gay Adrian Mole...the funniest novel I've read all year' Simon Callow. 'This book will always be a reminder to me of the courage of purpose, the futility of the oppressor, and, above all, the power of laughter' Michael Cashman, MEP. 'One of the freshest voices on the current scene.' The Literary Review.

Japanese Day @ Wallasey Central Library 20th August 2011

Wallasey Central Library will be turning Japanese on Saturday 20th August.

Visitors to the library will have a rare chance to immerse themselves in Japanese culture with calligraphy, basic Japanese language lessons - and even a chance to try on a kimono!

There’ll also be Japanese arts and crafts on display, including painting and haikus – and story-telling for all ages from the land of the rising sun.

The event is being organised by the Friends of Wallasey Central Library to raise money for the Japan Red Cross Tsunami Appeal and the Friends Group. The will be a raffle to win an Everton shirt signed by the team and lots of other prizes.

The event is being organised by Friends Group member, Natsuko Isa, who said: "I have been wanting to do something good for society ever since I moved to the UK and since the Tsunami struck Japan I have been looking for the opportunity to help those who were affected the most.

“Organising the Japanese Day in Wallasey Central Library is my dream come true. We want as many people as possible come along on the day to have fun with us as well as to have a meaningful time together!"

The Japanese Day takes place between 10am and 4pm, although the library will close for lunch between 1pm and 2pm. For more information, contact Wallasey Central Library on 0151 639 2334.

100 years... 100 words

Wallasey Library is holding a 100 word writing competition with a £100 prize to celebrate their centenary birthday.

The Earlston Road branch formally opened on September 30 1911.

To celebrate the milestone librarians are asking people to write on the subject of libraries.

The judges will be two critically acclaimed writers.

Entering the competition is free for any adult member of Wirral Libraries. If you are not a member you can become one by taking proof of your address to any library where you can also pick up a competition entry form.

Both poetry and prose is welcome and there are first prizes of £50 in each category plus runner up cash prizes. Winners will also be invited to read their work at the official Centenary Celebration which will be held on the first of October.

Suitable topics may be summarising what libraries mean to you, describing your favourite memory in a library or reminiscing on a library in another country. The closing date for the competition is August 25.

Judging the writing competition will be Nick Perring, an acclaimed Wirral short story author who's debut collection Not So Perfect is published by Roast Books. Also judging is Wallasey based poet Janine Pinion who's latest collection The Sea is Dancing Grandmothers is published by Driftwood.

There is also a design a 100th birthday card competition for youngsters. For details on this call the Children’s Library in Wallasey on 0151 639 2334.

There will be a special centenary celebration event taking pace on Saturday October 1 which will feature Edwardian cream teas and music.

For more information on the Library or either of the competitions call 0151 639 2334.