Barbican Library - City of London Libraries

14/09/2026

Fancy an evening of murder, mystery and Agatha Christie? 🕵️ 📖

We’re excited to welcome Dr John Curran for a talk on The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie at Barbican Library on Thursday 24th September from 6 - 7pm.

He will be revealing insights into her life and the secrets behind her classic crime novels. The talk will be followed by a Q&A.

Free tickets are available at barlib_christie.eventbrite.co.uk or ask at the library enquiry desk.

If you have a disability you wish us to consider when attending our events, please inform the staff in advance.

10/09/2026

Barbican Library - City of London Libraries is hosting a fun, easy‑going digital skills session on Tuesday 22nd September. Perfect if you’d like to try online shopping, understand cloud storage, get confident with internet banking or explore chatbots.

The session starts at 4.30pm, followed by the usual drop‑in from 5.30–7pm.
Everyone welcome - come along and learn something new in a relaxed setting.

09/09/2026

Stuck for something to do?
You still have a chance to enter the Barbican and Community Libraries book bingo! Complete each line in the grid for an entry into a prize draw!

Pick up a form at one of our libraries
Closing date: 30th September

07/09/2026

What does capital punishment reveal about the societies that authorise it?

Explore The Bloody Code: Capital Punishment in Law and Art, a powerful free exhibition by Art Responders CIC at Barbican Library.

This exhibition visualises the history of legalized killing and abolition movements by pairing historical publications from City archives with contemporary artistic responses.

Key highlights include 25 protest prints from California’s Center for the Study of Political Graphics, as well as historical broadsides and volumes sourced from various City libraries and archives.

The Bloody Code offers a unique opportunity to examine creative protests against the death penalty and reflect on this fundamental issue of human rights.

Come and checkout the exhibition for yourself!

📍 Barbican Library Foyer
📅 Friday 4 – Monday 28 September

For more information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/4s7cczhp

02/09/2026

Struggling to find something to read?
Why not take a look at our new books section at Shoe Lane Library.

01/09/2026

Welcome to our September book of the month on Libby, Make Life Happier by Mark Williamson. This book aims to help make your life that bit happier. It is not just typical self-help advice, crucially, the book combines actions you can do to improve your own happiness with actions that also benefit others.

You can borrow this eBook anytime with no waiting lists.



Shoe Lane Library - City of London Libraries Artizan Street Library and Community Centre - City of London Libraries

26/08/2026

26/08/2026

25/08/2026

📚 Every child has a story to tell - BBC 500 words is BACK!!

BBC 500 Words is the UK’s largest story-writing competition for 5–11 year-olds. Entries open at 8am on Tuesday 29 September and close at 9pm on Friday 6 November 2026.

BBC 500 Words is open to children wherever they are and however they learn. Whether they’re in school, learning in hospital, or home educated, every child can have a go at writing their own story.

The competition is all about creativity, and spelling, punctuation and grammar aren’t marked so children can focus on their ideas and let their imaginations lead the way.

Find resources to help inspire children here and get involved at bbc.co.uk/500words.

25/08/2026

Did you know that we have memory bags that you can borrow for free from Barbican & Community Libraries?

These memory bags have been carefully put together to include a variety of multi sensory items such as books, CDs, DVDs, ephemera & more that are intended to trigger memories and guide conversations about the past.

Reminiscence is beneficial for everyone, as well as those at various stages of memory loss or those with communication difficulties. They can also be a great social, creative and learning tool for people and children of all ages.

There are bags available on lots of different themes such as WWII, 1950s, 1970s, pastimes, London and more.

Ask about them in one of our libraries or have a look at our webpage for more information https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/libraries/libraries-and-wellbeing/memory-bags



Shoe Lane Library - City of London Libraries Artizan Street Library and Community Centre - City of London Libraries