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The Libraries Inside Out Project and the Tell Me A Story Project have both been working hard over the month of October in order to collect your stories - through discussion, collage, writing prompts and workshop exercises held in libraries, record offices, community buildings and more, across Lancashire.

The Libraries Inside Out project will be 'publishing' the work of their participants in a very special way - by projecting the stories, in lights, on the side of the participating library buildings.

Stories aren't just inside libraries anymore...

In addition to all of this, and for those of you who can't make the projection dates across Lancashire for the Libraries Inside Out Project, some of the stories, poems, flash fictions and extracts will be twittered from our revolutionlancs account starting today.

That means that if you aren't able to travel you can still read the stories written by the people of Lancashire during the Libraries Adult Learning Festival projects.

You do this by signing up for twitter, and following us - you can also send us messages via twitter 0r on the comments page of this blog.

We'd love to hear your stories. Stand by and watch out for ours.

Libraries Inside Out - Morecambe workshops

A quick update on the Libraries Inside Out Project - a partnership between the Lancashire Library Service and Preston based arts development organisation, They Eat Culture. We mentioned the project here - now the workshops have taken place all that's left is for the work and words of the participants to be projected on the outside of libraries across the country... keep your eyes peeled and watch this space for more on that later.

In the meantime, here's what Mollie Baxter, writer, performer, creative writing tutor and one of the workshop leaders for this exciting project had to say about her experience leading one of the workshops in Morecambe...

There’s been a recurring response from these young people – a nervousness and worry. I’ve heard, ‘I can’t write, I’m no good at telling stories,’ several times, and yet I’ve been astonished by what has come out of these short sessions.

The first took place at Morecambe Foyer run by the Salvation army, a residential home for young people who need a little support, maybe they are homeless, maybe they have had a difficult time in their personal lives or in mainstream school. We sat down and chatted about their lives – I was impressed at how busy and involved in the community they are. Sure, they like their computer games and chilling out, but when you’re volunteering with cadets, the theatre, community projects and other projects, who wouldn’t need a little downtime?

One young man, Luke, really stood out for me, although his situation is also representative of the others’. He looked daunted when he came in, he spoke of his doubts that he would be able to ‘do it,’ but we sat down together and, while I took notes he told me about his little brother who has just discovered chicken nuggets, how much he enjoys looking after him; about how he had worked nights in care not long ago. He’d struck up a strong bond with a gentleman there who had worked as an army doctor through two World Wars, and had told him if he wants anything in life – to go for it. I think one of Luke’s his pieces says it all.

Dr. Franks

I used to do care work – nights. Did it for a year and a half. Looked after Dr Franks. He was 109. Looked like someone from Fawlty Towers – bushy eyebrows, big beard. He was an army doctor in both wars. He used to tell me stories. When I’d go in, he’d always have a brew waiting.

He said to me if you want anything – don’t give up.

He had a tumour in his brain.

When he died, I couldn’t work there anymore - 3 weeks later, I packed it in. I found out he’d left me money in his will. Didn’t want it. Gave it to charity. His wife was still alive. When she found out, she gave me a massive hug.


These are stories to be seen and heard. In their own words, they tell us much that challenges our perceptions of what it means to be a young person in Lancaster today. When the authors see their work blown up and projected on the side of the library, and when they see other people stop, read and react, they will also, I hope, come to view themselves with a new self-belief. The idea that anything is possible – if we dare – is made real in front of our eyes.

Light Up Skelmersdale with your Words!

Do you think that the world needs to know about what life’s like in Skelmersdale? Do you want to tell your story creatively? Do you want to light up your town with your words? Are you age 19-25?

Be part of the Libraries Inside Out project!

Lancashire Libraries and They Eat Culture are looking for creative 19-25 year olds to write a short story which will then be blown up and projected across the library over the evenings of one weekend in November. Come and make people sit up and take notice.

You’ll need to attend any or both of 2 workshop sessions in late October in Skelmersdale – the writer Jane Gallagher will be working with you to creatively tell stories about what life’s really like, in your own words. Here, Jane writes about her experience preparing for the workshops and her feelings about returning to Skelmersdale.

No experience or qualifications needed - just enthusiasm to be creative!

Contact Ruth on 07708615877 or ruth@theyeatculture.org to book a place

Sessions take place starting and ending in the library and take inspiration from the surrounding town. Meet us at central library!

Dates and times are

Thursday Oct 22nd (2-4pm)

Thursday Oct 29th (3-5pm)

Libraries Inside Out is brought to you by Lancashire Libraries as part the ‘Learning Revolution Festival’, and co-produced and delivered by They Eat Culture. The project has been funded by the MLA. They Eat Culture specialise in creative and professional development through cultural arts programming & event management, and run creative, digital, and media led project strands across Lancashire.

Get On-line in Your Library

As part of the Autumn Learning Festival Lancashire County Library and Information Service is hosting a series of Get On-line Days where you can take your first steps in using computers and the internet.

Get online with help from our staff, play the on-line GOLDRush game and register for a free email.

At the end of GOLDRush complete a survey with the chance to win a laptop and mobile broadband. Find out about registering for myguide and getting access to over 30 online courses ranging from getting a job online, understanding banking, socialising and shopping online to using Ebay auctions.

Contact the library for further details.


Morecambe
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
01524 415215

Bolton le sands
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
11.00 – 12.30
01524 823906

Skelmersdale
Thursday, 29 October 2009
10.00 – 12.00; 2.00 - 4.30
01695 720312

Tarleton
Thursday, 29 October 2009
10.00 – 12.00
01772 815179

Euxton
Friday, 30 October 2009
2.00 - 4.00
01257 265430

Longton
Friday, 30 October 2009
01772 617401

Oswaldtwistle
Friday, 30 October 2009
10.00 – 11.00
01254 233823

Penwortham
Friday, 30 October 2009
10.30 - 12.30
01772 744331

Free Writing Workshops in Chorley and Preston

After a flying start with the first two workshops, Lancashire Libraries are pleased to announce the second set of creative writing sessions held in libraries as part of the Adult Learning Revolution.

On Wednesday 21st October novelist and award-winning blogger Jenn Ashworth will be holding creative writing workshops in Chorley and Preston as part of her month-long residency for the Lancashire Library Service.

For the early birds, the first workshop takes place in the meeting room at Chorley Library between 9.30 and 11.30am. It's called 'A Sense of Place' and is aimed at beginners or more experienced writers who want to build up their confidence in creating strong descriptions and settings in their writing - poetry or prose. The workshop is FREE and to book yourself a place all you need to do is contact Chorley Library on 01257 277222.

Later on in the afternoon from 2.30 - 4.30pm Jenn will be in Preston at the Records Office on Bow Lane. She'll be working with some of the archive material available and using gentle creative writing prompts to help participants create short pieces of fiction or poetry. Again, this workshop is suitable for complete beginners or more experienced writers, is open to the public and is completely free to attend. To book yourself a place, contact the Records Office on 01772 533039.

All participants of both workshops will have the opportunity to submit work for inclusion in a book, which we hope to publish at the end of the residency.

FREE Black History Month Events

As October is Black History Month, Lancashire Library and Information Service, in partnership with Rainbow Beach from Lancaster, is presenting a series of poetry, music and drama workshops in branches across the County
In celebration of Black History Month in 2009, throughout October the Rainbow Beach team, featuring poets, actors and musicians will be presenting a series of workshop performances in libraries across Lancashire.

Their unique blend of music, drama and poetry highlights the plight of migrating share-croppers from the Mississippi Delta to their “promised Land” in Chicago.
The Rainbow Beach story is set against a background of historical events that brought about fundamental change in civil liberties in America in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Each workshop will explore the power of words in relation to equality and diversity culminating in the recording of a newly created poem followed by a 30 minute presentation of Rainbow Beach songs and dramatisation.

With funding from the Museums, Libraries and Archives as part of the Adult Learning Revolution, Lancashire libraries are holding events at the following libraries:

22nd October: Leyland Library 2.30 - 4.30pm
23rd October: Haslingden Library 10am -12pm
24th October: Nelson Library 10a.m. – 12.pm
26th October: Fleetwood Library 10am - 12pm
28th October: Ormskirk Library 10am - 12pm
28th October: Skelmersdale Library 2.30 - 4.30pm
29th: Heysham Library 10am – 12pm
30th October: Clitheroe Library 10am – 12pm
30th October: Burnley Library 2.30 - 4.30pm (no disabled access)
31st October: Chorley Library 10am - 12pm

To book your free ticket, please contact the individual libraries, oand for more details email gill.irvine@lancashire.gov.uk