Somerset Council is taking part in Libraries Week by hosting activities centred around supporting life-long learning and climate change.

Libraries Week, 2nd – 8th October, celebrates the nation’s much-loved libraries and this year’s theme is ‘Green Libraries’ which encourages communities to be more sustainable and support the climate action cause.

To mark the moment, Somerset Libraires have launched a free loaning scheme of Thermal Imaging Cameras to help residents identify heat loss in their homes and take action to improve its energy efficiency and reduce fuel bills this winter.

The cameras work by connecting to a smartphone or tablet to display a thermal image of the home and identify any areas of improvement, such as insulation or draught proofing.

Residents can borrow the camera for three days by simply visiting their local library and speaking to a member of staff who can reserve the kit for them. Full details of the scheme can be found here: www.southsomersetenvironment.co.uk/thermalimagingproject.

In addition to cameras, the Council is encouraging residents to never stop learning and support events that engage with the local community. The following activities are taking place throughout Libraires Week:

• Frome Library is hosting Frome Seed Library for a gardening and craft activity.
• Minehead Library is hosting The Minehead Shed; a local woodworking group on Monday 2nd October, and Minehead Gardening Club will be doing a seed swap and demonstration on green gardening on 4th October at 11am.
• Wells Library is hosting Sustainable Wells Repair Café on Saturday 7th October from 10am-12.30pm.
• Porlock Community Library presents Stephen Colson for an engaging and informative talk on living more sustainably on Wednesday 4th October at 2pm.

Other activities and events are happening throughout the week, so please visit your local library to find out more: www.somerset.gov.uk/libraries/our-libraries.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Housing and Culture, said, “We have a brilliant programme of activities during Libraries Week that we hope will bring communities together and learn about all the ways libraries empowers life-long learning.

“Our Thermal Imaging Camera loaning scheme is an exciting initiative that we hope residents can make the most of to see how well their properties are keeping heat in and take necessary steps to ensure their homes are more energy efficient.”

Keep up to date with Green Libraries Week 2023 by following @librariesweek and share your activities using the hashtag #GreenLibrariesWeek. Learn more here: librariesweek.org.uk.