In Calderdale, under-16s benefit from no fines and easy instant joining. This is because accidents happen. We do not charge for damage to board and picture books issued on an under-5s' ticket.
- Computer use and Internet access is free.
- All our PCs have USB ports, so you can save your work or bring files you have already made. You can book ahead, just ask at the library, also see: Internet and computing.
- For homework, where there is no loanable source, you can have up to four copies or computer printouts, free.
- We often have authors and artists visit us. Entry to these events is usually free, but there can be a small charge.
Summer Reading Challenge
This is to encourage children to keep reading during the school summer holidays. Also, to choose anything they enjoy to read!
It is free to take part and children can sign up at their local library or online. The theme for the 2025 is 'Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors'.
- End date: 5th September.
We have lots of free/low cost activities to enjoy over the summer holidays linked to the Story Garden theme.
We hope you enjoyed our activities this summer and we would love to hear what you thought. This will help us plan future ones.
To let us know, please select: feedback.
For more details, please visit: Calderdale Libraries (TicketSource).
For under 5s
Bookstart
BookTrust offers a free Bookstart Baby Pack to every baby aged 0 to 12 months.
Your health visitor or another health professional should give you this. It will help you share stories, rhymes and songs together.
Bookstart Baby Pack
Every baby gets a free Bookstart Baby Pack, which has:
- An engaging book chosen by experts, such as health visitors and librarians.
- A colourful finger puppet.
- A fun leaflet for parents and carers about the benefits of sharing rhymes and stories with babies.
Bookstart Family Hub
Here you will find:
- Hints and tips on how you can have fun sharing stories with your child.
- Details about BookTrust's Early Years offers.
- More things to do and books they recommend to continue your reading adventure.
For more about BookTrust, visit: BookTrust.
Count Me In 1, 2, 3
This inspires learning about numbers through picture books. There are three packs and each has a book, games and things to do that are fun.
Families can borrow these packs from all our libraries.
For more details, contact our Early Years librarian:
- Email: fran.rushworth@calderdale.gov.uk
- Phone: (01422) 392619.
Storytots
Free storytelling sessions for children aged 2 - 4 years (during term time)
Stories, songs and crafts suitable for pre-school children. Weekly sessions run at:
- Akroyd Library on Thursdays at 11am.
- Elland Library on Fridays at 11.15am.
- King Cross Library on Tuesdays at 10.30am.
- Hebden Bridge Library on Mondays at 10.30am.
- Sowerby Bridge Library on Fridays at 10.30am.
- Brighouse Library on Tuesdays at 11am.
- Northowram Library on Tuesdays at 2pm.
- Mixenden Library on Thursdays at 10.30am.
- Halifax Central Library on Wednesdays at 10.30am.
For more details, email: kelly.hopkins@calderdale.gov.uk or reading@calderdale.gov.uk.
To book your place, visit: Calderdale Libraries (TicketSource).
Baby Bounce and Rhyme
Songs and rhymes are the best way to introduce the magical world of language and literature.
Come along to our free Baby Bounce and Rhymes for 30 minutes of songs and rhymes.
You and your baby will explore traditional songs and rhymes and add new ones to your repertoire.
- King Cross Library on Mondays at 10.30am.
- Brighouse Library on Tuesdays at 10.10am.
- Hebden Bridge Library on Wednesdays at 10.30am.
- Halifax Central Library on Thursdays at 11.15am.
- Elland Library on Fridays at 10.30am.
Toddler Bounce and Rhyme
Fun with songs and rhymes for toddlers and their grown ups.
- Hebden Bridge Library on Wednesdays at 11.15am.
- Halifax Central Library on Thursdays at 10.15am.
These are free drop in sessions, no need to book.
For more about events at our libraries, see: Library events.
Mini Playboxes
These are packed with fun and engaging self serve activities for children under five and their families.
Each box is full of open ended activities that can be recreated with objects at home. They support early speech and language, numeracy skills and creative play.
Families love them! This is what some people said about them:
"My little one loves the playbox. She gets so excited when it appears. We’ve played games at home inspired by the things in the playbox. I had to buy us some wooden bobbins because we have so much fun racing them!"
"We really like making dens using the airer. It's inspired us to make dens at home to using our really big airer and throws from the sofa."
Find a playbox in these libraries:
- Brighouse Library.
- Elland Library.
- Mixenden Library.
- Todmorden Library.
Thank you to NHP family Hubs for kindly funding our latest mini playboxes at Elland, Brighouse and Mixenden Libraries.
SEND Sensory Story times
Project 52 will join us to host more inclusive story times. These include a range of sensory experiences and are filled with music, dance, singing, communication and resources.
Sessions are suitable for SEND children and their families.
Where and when
- Todmorden Library every Saturday in October at 10.30am.
- Halifax Central Library every Saturday in January at 10.30am.
How to book
- Please visit: Calderdale Libraries (TicketSource.co.uk).
For primary age children
Reading Sparks
Fun things to do to get children excited about science. You can borrow an activity bag and explore the experiments inside.
Reading Sparks brings together science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) themes with creative arts and reading.
LOTE4Kids
This is a digital collection of picture books (ebooks and audiobooks) in a range of languages.
There are also that encourage critical thinking, improve memory retention and make learning engaging and enjoyable.
For more about this, please see: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and eComics.
Comics Plus
This offers thousands of comics, graphic novels and manga titles to readers online.
- You can access it with a smartphone, tablet or web browser.
- You can download comics to more than one devices.
- There is never a wait to read any titles.
For access, log in to: Library Pass.
uLibrary Book Clubs
Bookworms Book Club for children.
This is an audiobook club for younger listeners that is free to use.
To access it, please see: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and eComics.
Useful web links
- Tiny Happy People (BBC).
- HomeTime (BookTrust).
- Bitesize (BBC).
- Cbeebies stories (BBC).
- Teachers, schools and early years (National Literacy Trust).
- 50 Things to Do Before You're Five in Calderdale.
- I CAN.
- Tate Kids.
- Today on HomeTime (BookTrust).
- Learn and play (Words for Life).
- NewsWise (National Literacy Trust).
Tonie Boxes
Tonie boxes are a great way of sharing audio stories with children of all ages. A child friendly and robust device. Simply add the story character onto the box and it will read aloud.
We have a number of Tonie Box Bundles available to borrow. The bundle includes a story character and 2 Creative Tonies with recorded stories to listen to.
In addition to the boxes, we also have a wide range of Tonie characters to borrow.
To reserve a Tonie Box, visit: Calderdale Libraries or contact your local branch for more information.
For schools
Class visits
You can arrange a class visit to any of our libraries. These can be regular events or one-off sessions.
We have a range of options to promote reading for pleasure amongst your pupils, such as:
- story times;
- library activities;
- and the chance to borrow books.
Assemblies
Reading For Pleasure assemblies
Summer Reading Challenge Assemblies – June/July
Calderdale Libraries Picture Book of the Year (February/March)
Aimed at Year 1 children:
- Help us to choose the best picture book of the year.
- Taking part includes interactive story times in your school, certificates and books for your library.
2025 Shortlisted Picture Books
2025 Winner
Catherine Emmett's Rainbow Flamingo
For more details, please email: reading@calderdale.gov.uk.
Author events
We host a number of author events through the year. Please contact the team to find out how your school can take part.
Other events
For more about coming events, please contact us.
Contact us
The Reading and Development Team:
- Email: reading@calderdale.gov.uk.
- Phone: (01422) 392619.