Library Events
Library Open Weeks 2025

Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent library survey! We are grateful to the 232 respondents who shared their feedback. A key theme that emerged was the need to improve how we market and promote our library services.
In response, we are excited to announce two Library Open Weeks — both physical and virtual — taking place during the first two weeks of November. These will include events and sessions across Epsom, St Helier, and several community sites.
Please take a look at the timetables below and join in wherever you can - we’d love to see you there!
We are also inviting you to make a Library Pledge. Tell us how you plan to use the library - whether it’s visiting more often, exploring online resources, or asking the team for support. Please add your pledge to our virtual pledge board.
Get ready to celebrate the Library Open Weeks and discover how our amazing health librarians make a difference every day. Read the October 2025 Library Bulletin! Finally why not answer a few easy questions via our quiz and win one of our sponsored prizes!
| Dates | Painted stone | Event | 
| Monday 3 November 
 |   Koha: our library management system | 
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| Tuesday 4 November Hunt, Pledge & Win at Sally Howell Library! |   An inspirational stone | 
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| Wednesday 5: Connect, Learn and Enter | 
 An inspirational stone | 
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| Thursday 6: Connect, Explore and Meet |   BorrowBox our eBooks, eaudio and emagazines app | 
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| Friday 7: Get ready for the weekend 
 |   The Digital Learning Solutions platform for MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint training | 
 | 
“Virtual Library Week:
Connect, Learn & Explore Online”
Drop in anytime between 8:30am – 10:30am or 12pm – 2pm Contact us at: esth.hirsonlibrary@nhs.net or esth.libraryepsom@nhs.net for the MS Teams link
| Dates | Painted stone | Topic | 
| Monday 3 and Monday 10 November | 
 Mendeley our reference  | Manage & Reference with Ease: Support with Trust procedural documents with Potenza and Marisa | 
| Tuesday 4 and Tuesday 11 November | 
 | Find Articles Fast: “Explore the NHS Hub” with Kerry and Liz | 
| Wednesday 5 and Wednesday 12 November | 
 Kortext an eBook platform | Looking for books: “ESTH catalogue and Kortext” with Kerry and Liz | 
| Thursday 6 and Thursday 13 November | 
 UpToDate a point of care tool | Clinical decision-making tools: UpToDate and BMJ Best Practice with Kerry and Liz | 
| Friday 7 and Friday 14 November |   OpenAthens: password  | Virtual Open House and general overview of the Library: Ask Us Anything with Potenza and Marisa | 
| Dates | Painted stone | Event | 
| Monday 10 November 
 | 
 KnowledgeShare a current awareness tool | 
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| Tuesday 11 November Hunt, Pledge & Win at Hirson Library! | 
 An inspirational stone | 
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| Wednesday 12: Connect, Learn and Enter | 
 BMJ Learning eLearning modules mainly for clinical staff | 
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| Thursday 13: Connect, Explore and Meet | 
 Moodle our educational eLearning platform | 
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| Friday 14: Get ready for the weekend 
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Celebrate Black History Month
On an annual basis the library team celebrates Black History Month in a number of ways.
In 2024 we celebrated Black History Month in a number of ways:
Summaries of Black Britons
The theme for Black History Month 2024 was “Reclaiming Narratives”, which is all about correcting and recognising the narratives of black culture and its history. Celebrate Black History Month with the Library Team. Read the short summaries of seven Black Britons chosen by Layla Atkinson (Year 11) from Royal Alexandra and Albert School during her work experience week in June 2024 with the library team.
We held a competition:

“Honouring Motions to Stand” created by Léonie Lindo
Léonie Lindo (a self-taught realist painter) was commissioned to create an image entitled “Honouring Motions to Stand” to represent this year’s theme. Enter our competition to win a framed A4 sized, signed print of the image.
The competition was to read one of the books from our BorrowBox (electronic audiobooks and eBooks) Black History Month collection and write a short summary (no longer than 250 words) about the book.
The four best summaries were chosen and wee awarded a signed print of the image. The four winners were: Kirsty Hagan-Tetteh, Arlene Wellman, Florence Temeng and Anna Awoliyi.
We also had a live BorrowBox event on Thursday 17 October in the St Helier Hospital restaurant. Poppy Jackson (Sales Manager) from Bolinda came to support the event.
Credits for the images used for the summaries of Black Britons
Stormzy:  
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-61887653
Jason Arday: 
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/portrait-of-a/jason-arday-on-racial-m_6kAtKTQZb/#google_vignette
Michaela Coel: 
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3948190/
Lavinya Stennett: Courtesy
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/a35740129/lavinya-stennett-prioritising-oneself-self-care/
Marcus Rashford: 
https://www.thetimes.com/article/marcus-rashford-defends-charity-deals-against-claims-he-profits-from-campaigning-3lmj6wf0q
Khadija Owusu: 
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/khadijaowusu_iwd2023-march-support-activity-7036637043245883393-Iu6z   
Health Information Week 2025

Health Information Week is a national, multi-sector campaign to promote high quality health information. This year, it will take place from 20 - 26 January 2025.
The themes for 2025 are:
- Winter health
- Mental health
- Wellbeing
- Health literacy and misinformation
- Digital literacy
At Epsom and St Helier we are celebrating the week in the following ways:
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 Winter health Support the Trust's efforts to drive up flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. Check out the information on Victor and book your vaccinations as soon as possible! | 
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 Mental health Use your OpenAthens account to access MAG online Mental Health Collection. | 
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 Wellbeing Sign up to Borrow Box and see our collection of self help audio and eBooks. Pop into either hospital library and pick up a free sprout pencil. | 
| 
 
 
 Health literacy and misinformation Book an online session with Liz, our Knowledge Specialist, to grasp the significance of health literacy. | 
| 
 
 
 Digital literacy Join Rosy, our Library Learning Technologist online at the Digital Champions session on Friday 24 January from 10am-11am to find out more about the training sessions she provides. | 
 





 
  
 



 
 



 
  
 









 
 