Guest post by local historian Philip Grant
Brent Libraries What’s On leaflet for Spring 2024
I know that Brent Libraries have a good programme of free events, and I wanted
to let you know about some of them, so I went to my usual online source, the
Brent Culture Service Eventbrite site. As you can see, this ‘home of events
from Brent Libraries’ has lots of followers, and has previously given access to
nearly 500 events for local residents:
But when I scrolled down to find out what was on offer for the next few
months, this is what I saw:
I knew that could not be right, because I am “booked” to give a free library
talk myself in March! I contacted the Library Development Officers, who
organise these events, to find out why there was nothing on Brent’s Eventbrite
website, and was told that they have a new one. Instead of Brent Culture
Service, it is now called Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage, which I think is
a much better description. But how many people know about it?
I tried “googling” that name, but did not get any “hits” for this new
Eventbrite website! I got the address from my Brent Libraries contacts, so before
I go any further, let me pass it on to you:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/brent-libraries-arts-and-heritage-73407690863
You can now pick up a leaflet in your local Brent Library, setting out
all the events on offer this Spring. However, it says it the orange sun at the
top of the cover picture: ‘Advanced bookings required for most events.’ Those
bookings have to be made on Eventbrite, and the leaflet does not give the
website address that I’ve just given you above. It does provide a QR code, but
if, like me, you are not yet able to use such things, that is little help.
It is a “What’s On” booklet, with the brent.gov.uk/whatson website
address printed on the front cover, so surely you can get details of all the
Brent Libraries events from that online source, can’t you? That site currently
lists 212 events, but:
The events in the Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage booklet are not on
the Council’s main What’s On listings, but they must be in the Events section
of the “Libraries” pages on the website, mustn’t they? After all, this is
headed:
‘Library Events - We have lots happening
across all our libraries, from regular kids events to family learning. Find out
what is happening near you.’
I’m afraid you would be disappointed, because all that appear there are
the current (“Exploring grief and loss through art”) and next two exhibitions
at The Gallery at Willesden Green.
Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage management and Brent Communications
really must sort out this lack of effective online publicity for the programme
of free events at Brent Libraries! I know that a
lot of effort, by Library Development Officers and others, has gone into
providing this programme. It is unfair on the local community, as well as on
those Libraries, Arts and Heritage staff members, if hundreds of people who
could benefit from these events miss out on them because of the current lack of
online information.
As well as giving the Eventbrite website address (see link above) I will
mention a few events coming up soon which may be of interest to “Wembley
Matters” readers.
Five Little Ducks story and craft workshop at Wembley Library
There are regular weekly Booktrust Story and Rhyme Time sessions for
under 5s at all six Brent Libraries, but this coming Saturday and Sunday there is
also a number of special events for National Storytelling Week at Wembley and Willesden Green Libraries.
Veganuary event at Kingsbury Library on 30 January
Next week’s coffee morning event at Kingsbury Library (Tuesday 30
January, 11.15am) is “Veganuary: Trust your gut!”, making healthy snacks with chef Nishma, of the award-winning vegan
food business, Shambhu's.
Ealing Road Library hosts a regular STEM CLUB, providing science, technology, engineering and mathematics workshops
for children aged 8-11. The same venue also provides Family Film Club events
during half-term and school holidays – the next one is on 15 February, when “The Little Mermaid” is
featured.
An author talk at Ealing Road Library on 12 March
Ealing Road Library also has a coffee morning event on Tuesday 12 March
at 11am, where you can meet Brent-based author, Manoj Kerai, and find out what
inspired him to write his novel, “The Burning Bride”. Kilburn Library has
regular coffee morning events as well, the next one is on Wednesday 7 February, as does Harlesden Library, with its next coffee morning on Tuesday 20 February.
I hope this has inspired you to find out, from the Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage
Eventbrite site, what free events YOU can
enjoy at Brent Libraries over the next few months.
Philip Grant
P.S. I did mention my next free local
history talk, at a Kingsbury Library coffee morning on Tuesday
26 March at 11am, didn’t I?