Aura Libraries Flintshire: Countdown to the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021

The countdown to the Women's Prize for Fiction 2021 is underway. The longlist will be announced on March 10, and we are so excited to see which books have been chosen. We would love to hear your predictions for this year's longlist. Send us a message on social media - find us on Facebook (@LlyfrgelloeddAuraLibraries) Instagram (@llyfrgelloeddauralibraries) or Twitter (@LibFlintshire). Here are some of our favourite past winners:

• We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (2005)

• Larry's Party by Carol Shields (1998)

• The Road Home by Rose Tremain (2008)

• Small Island by Andrea Levy (2004)

• A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore (1996)

• An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (2019)

• On Beauty by Zadie Smith (2006)

• The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (2010)

• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2012)

• Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (2020)

The above titles are available to borrow from Aura Libraries or as either e-books or audiobooks on Borrowbox. Find out more about the Women's Prize for Fiction by visiting their website: https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/

Census support

From the March 1 until May 4, 2021, Aura Libraries will be delivering a Census Support Service for the residents of Flintshire.

Until current restrictions are lifted we can only offer pre-booked telephone support. If you require help to complete your form please contact one of our three support centres with your basic contact details for one of our advisors to call you back at your convenience. All calls are confidential and will be carried out by fully trained advisors. Connah's Quay Library - 01352 707730, Flint Library - 01352 703737 or Mold Library - 01352 703780.

Deeside Community Trust Project with the Aura Libraries and Heritage Team

The Aura Libraries and Heritage team is working in partnership with Deeside Community Trust to provide some brand new Zoom sessions about using online resources to research the history of John Summers High School (Queensferry Campus). The course is fully funded by Flintshire County Council's Adult Community Learning Grant.

During these sessions, participants will help us to create materials to share in and around the new Community Hub, and to tell the story of the site and the memories of local people. Join us for: Introduction to Local History Research starting on Monday, March 15 10am-noon, running every week for four weeks, and John Summers- Share your Memories on Saturday, March 27 at 11am.

For more information or to sign up to the sessions please email susannah.hill@aura.wales

IT and Zoom support

Aura Libraries are here to help and support you to gain more confidence using a computer or laptop. We are offering free six-week courses where we will provide support over the phone to help you build confidence. These courses can also help you to gain confidence when using Zoom so that you can enjoy activities and events online.

Please call your nearest library to book your place:

• Buckley 01352 703860

• Connah's Quay 01352 703730

• Flint 01352 703737

• Holywell 01352 703850

• Mold 01352 703780

Weekly Book Corner

The Temptation of Gracie by Santa Montefiore

This week's recommendation comes from Chris at Buckley Library, who recommends The Temptation of Gracie by Santa Montefiore.

She said: "The story is set in Italy and is a feel good book. At the start of the book it is hard to imagine how the story is going to develop for Gracie as secrets are revealed and she revisits a past no one would have imagined. Gracie is not the person they thought they knew. I enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of the Italian countryside which made me feel as though I was being transported to the hot sun in Tuscany. For me it was a welcome escape from our cold and bleak winter. I give this book an Aura Book Score of 4/5."

The Temptation of Gracie by Santa Montefiore is available to borrow from your local Aura library. If this book sounds right up your street, why not add it to your next Select and Collect order: search our online library catalogue and reserve titles, or email or telephone your local library. As a reminder, our libraries are currently open for Select and Collect orders only: to make an order please telephone us on 01352 703750, or email us at libraries@aura.wales . You can browse our catalogue at www.aura.wales/flintshire-library-catalogue/ and place a hold on items to collect from the library counter. We will just need to know your library membership number, a contact telephone number and email address, your book requests/preferences, and your preferred collection point.

Monthly reading groups

Our next Reading Friends shared reading group sessions will be on Tuesday, March 9, from 11am-noon and Wednesday, March 10, from 7pm-8pm.

Our next Ffrindiau Darllen Cymraeg session for advanced Welsh learners and fluent speakers will be on Tuesday, March 9, at 7pm-8pm, followed by our session for intermediate Welsh learners on Wednesday, March 10, 2pm-3pm.

Our monthly reading groups are fun, welcoming and a space for people to get together and socialise whilst sharing a love of reading! For more information or to join, please email susannah.hill@aura.wales

From everyone here at Aura Libraries, thank you for reading, stay safe and we hope to hear from you or see you soon! Whilst we may be facing difficult times, remember: we are always united by books!

• Aura is a charitable, not-for-profit, organisation responsible for managing the majority of leisure, libraries and heritage services in Flintshire. Aura is owned by its employees and operates for the benefit of local communities.