Ventnor Blog

Are you looking for something to do with you 4-8 year old this coming Thursday?

If you’re kids love listening to stories then why not join others at Ventnor Library for a Terrible Tots Storytime.

It starts at 10.30 and lasts for just over an hour, finishing at 11.45am. Just giving you enough time to get home and put on the lunch.

This is absolutely free, and if you’ve been stuck in all week desperate to get out and meet others, here’s your chance.

Starting in a couple of weeks time, Age Concern will be have regular monthly drop-in sessions at Ventnor Library.

If you need information or advice, pop down to the library on Tuesday 26th between 9.30am and noon.

If you miss this one, we’ll let you know when the next one comes up - but it is hoped that they will be monthly.

Ventnor Library is currently hosting an exhibition of acrylic and oil paintings by Niton-based artist, Robert Jones.

The exhibition runs until the end of the month and can be found along the back wall of the Library.

All paintings are for sale and the landscapes range from St Catherine’s lighthouse to Arreton fields, Windy Corner, Ryde, Freshwater Bay and Alum Bay.
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If your book shelves are looking a little bare, and you’ve found yourselves having to stick your pets up there in order to fill them, put your pooch down and make a date in your diary for a week on Saturday.

Yes folks, Ventnor Library is having a spring clean and hoping to offload some of their unwanted books on Sat 16th.

Check it out between 9.30-12.30. They close for a sarnie break re-open again between 1.30-4.00pm

There is another session coming up where you can learn all about your family history online.

That is using the Internet to discover your family history, rather than discovering the online history of your family!

You will need to book a place if you’re interested and the cost is £5, so why not call the Library at 852039 for details?

Some of the new titles at Ventnor Library …

FICTION - we have all the Richard and Judy selection for the British Book Awards as well as ..
Wendy K HARRIS Blue slipper bay – the second novel from the local author
Angela BENSON The Amen sisters “..one of the brightest voices in Christian fiction..”
Markus ZUSAK The book thief – truly exceptional story of a young girl in Nazi Germany
Khaled HOSSEINI The Kite Runner- recently filmed
Benjamin MARKOVITS A quiet adjustment – a novel of Byron
Conin IGGULDEN Lords of the Bow- The epic tale of Genghis Kahn
Chris COLLETT Blood money – a D I Tom Mariner crime novel
Kate KINGSBURY Shrouds of holly – a Pennyfoot Hotel mystery
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Ventnor Library are holding another sessions next week where you can research your family history online.

Find out whether you might be a distant relative of the milk man or your local mayor on Wednesday 30th January.

The session lasts for two and a half hours and will only cost you a fiver.

You never know what treasures the knowledge might unearth.

If you’re interested, please call the Library on 852039

We met at the St Boniface Arms on Wednesday night to discuss the author Ian McEwan of “Atonement” fame …these are some of our thoughts.

“Obviously an accomplished writer…one of the first on Bradbury’s Creative Writing Course at UEA in the 60’s and now named in the Times as one of our top 50 post war writers.”

“So glad I persisted - after a slow start I wizzed through it.”

“On Chesil Beach – deceptively simple – a “quick read” but actually very complex and rewarding.”

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ISLE of Wight Council library service is closing most of its branch libraries in late January and early February so that staff can be trained on using an improved computer record system. (more…)

There is a lot going on in Ventnor Library during January.

We have the display of information about the process for the “2007 Town Plan for Ventnor, Bonchurch and St. Lawrence”

The consultation/comments book for the proposed design for the Youth Centre mural as featured on VentnorBlog.

You can also view the results of the Christmas Poetry competition and see some of the other entries.

If you’re reading this, it’s unlikely that you be needing the services of an Internet and email workshop.

However, we all know someone who may need some help and if so, let them know about a session being held at Ventnor Library next Monday (14th)

Please call 752173 ext 33 for more info.

Thanks for Mark for alerting us to this excellent piece of journalism fresh out of the News Biscuit site today. (more…)

Ventnor Library’s Reading Group met in the St Boniface Arms on the 12th December to discuss the works of Doris Lessing, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature this year at long last - she commented that she supposed that she was so old that they probably thought “they should!”

This is a brief flavour of what was said among the Group.

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It’s a new year and there’s loads of new items in at Ventnor Library. Here’s a selection from December.

DVDs
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – is this the best yet?
THE SIMPSONS MOVIE – what can I say?
TRANSFORMERS – they tell me this is REALLY good!
FACTORY GIRL – the story of Andy Warhol’s muse

New Fiction
Margaret THORNTON A true love of mine – family saga set in Scarborough
Rosie HARRIS Love against all odds – set in Cardiff
Charlie OWEN Foxtrot oscar – Life on Mars meets The Sweeney …
F G COTTAM The house of lost souls - some doors are too dangerous to open …
Sheila Quigley Every breath you take – this time its personal
Michael PALMER The fifth vial – “..ingenious and cleverly plotted – Kathy Reichs..”

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AN ISLE of Wight librarian’s “raw” talent has resulted in her being named star of the month in a BBC literacy campaign. (more…)

We’re pleased to announce the winners of our Library Poetry Competition.

The winner of the children’s prize is Zoe Barrett aged 6, and the adult is Edward Lyon.

The winners are being presented with their prizes at Ventnor Library at 10 o’clock tomorrow (Saturday) and hopefully will read their poems to us. All the poems including the winners will be displayed in the Library until after the New Year.

Poems after the click. (more…)

If you’re fed up with the TV’s offerings of dross, why not hire out some DVDs from the Library?

Ventnor Library have a special offer on next week running from Tuesday 18th to Saturday 22nd December. (more…)

Forget the weather – curl up with a good book and a movie! – some of the new titles at Ventnor Library during November.

DVDs
Ocean’s Thirteen- George Clooney
The Flying Scotsman,- The true story of world champion cyclist Graeme Obree
Pirates of the Caribbean – At worlds end
Hairspray – John Travolta
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Many thanks to VentnorBlog reader, Fazioli for sharing this piece of history about the wonderful musical resource that is held at Ventnor Library. It came up in a ‘conversation’ surrounding Edward Elgar. Ed

When the late Mr Snow was librarian at Ventnor in the 60s and 70s, Victor Fleming the famous musician who retired to Honeythorne on the seafront (other oldies will remember this was the house that used to have metal railings in the shape of music staves with quotes from Wagner and Schubert on) donated his vast private collection of sheet music and books to the library.
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Ventnor Library’s bumper book sale returns in a couple of weeks time.

Doors open at 9.30am on Saturday 1st December.

A great opportunity to buy cheap books (Christmas presents?) and do your part in recycling.

Ventnor Library Reading Group recently met to discuss their latest choices – Sebastian Faulks’ Human Traces and Richard Benson’s The Farm – here is what they said!

About Human Traces
“I thought it impenetrable.”

“Very hard going at first but persevere, because it says a lot about what I suspect is still the same situation in the debate about psychology and psychiatry.”

“I found the end very moving having slogged my way through it – the characters are quite well drawn but you do have to persevere – it is worth it.”

It could do with a good editor – but I suppose you don’t tell Sebastian Faulks that he needs editing, do you?
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Here’s a small selection of the many news items received at Ventnor Library during October.

DVD
Zodiac – based on true story of a serial killer and the man obsessed with trying to find him
300 – from the graphic novel!
Flyboys – James Franco and Jean Reno in a story of America’s first fighter pilots
The night of the Sunflowers – subtitled Spanish thriller “..compelling Spanish noir..”
Curse of the Golden Flower- from the director of ‘Hero’ & ‘House of Flying Daggers’
Bridge To Terabithia-Magical Fantasy
Spider-Man 3
Die hard 4.0 – Bruce Willis
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UPDATE: We hear that this has been postponed until further notice. Are you unemployed?

Need to get back to work but lack computer skills?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, read on, because help is at hand.

CoolSpot are offering FREE introduction to computers, using the Internet and email courses to those claiming a means tested benefits at Ventnor Library during November-December.

If you’re interested call 535204 for more details.

AS the winter nights draw in Shanklin Library is hosting a spooky book signing event in the run up to Christmas.
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If you haven’t been down to the Library recently, here a look at what’s new.

DVDs
Clint Eastwood directs FLAG OF OUR FATHERS and its companion LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
MR BEAN’S HOLIDAY
SHOOTER - “..high octane action..”
AMAZING GRACE – Wilberforce and the anti-slavery campaign
PREMONITION – Sandra Bullock
OUTLAW –“…Football Factory with guns..”
THE PAINTED VEIL – based on the Somerset Maugham novel
NORBIT – Eddie Murphy
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