Could your local library give your child a superpower? 📚🦸‍♂️ It’s the start of a new school year. For many children, that means excitement, new routines and perhaps a few nerves too. We’re also living in an increasingly digital world, where our ability to concentrate is constantly being tested. That’s why I think the ability to sit down, switch off and get lost in a book is becoming more valuable than ever. 📖 In the National Year of Reading, why not take your children to your local library and let them discover the books, stories and spaces waiting for them? For me, libraries have been part of my life since childhood. A huge thank you to Newham Libraries for inspiring me then and continuing to inspire me as an adult. ❤️ #NationalYearofReading2026 #GoAllIn2026 #Reading #Books #Library @NewhamLibraries @NewhamLondon

📚 Did you know you can reserve books at your local library? If the book you want isn’t on the shelf, you don’t necessarily have to give up! 👉 You can reserve it through your library, and they can bring it in from another library in the local network. That means your FREE library card can give you access to far more books than the ones sitting on the shelves of your nearest library. 📖✨ So next time you’re looking for a book, remember: if it’s not there, ask! 🏛️📚 Thank you as always to Newham libraries! #Libraries #LibraryLove #Books #Reading #LibraryCard @NewhamLibraries @NewhamLondon @CILIPinfo

📚 Did you know you can borrow e-books, download newspapers and magazines, and even stream films - completely free and legally? 🎬 All you need is a library card! 🙌 📖 Libby for e-books and audiobooks 🎥 Kanopy for films and documentaries Libraries offer so much more than shelves of books. 💙 Do you have a library card? I definitely have my @newhamlibraries card #Library #Libraries #Books #Films #Ebooks @Kanopy @libbyapp @overdrive

Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card!” 📚🎶 Happy World Book Day! And in the National Year of Reading, too📖 My fave costume is still dressing up as Arthur from US cartoon singing the library card song 🐻🎤 Reading brings so much joy, yet a survey found 4 in 10 adults didn’t read a single book last year (though it also means 6 in 10 did). Why do you think so many adults don’t read for pleasure? Books changed my life. Every Saturday afternoon my dad took me and my brothers to East Ham Library. Those trips meant everything ❤️ I later became the UK Libraries Champion (following Stephen Fry & Mary Beard) and now serve as an ambassador for the charity Reading Agency. And recently I was honoured with an MBE for services to public libraries - which really belongs to all our amazing library services & brilliant librarians 🙌📚 @WorldBookDayUK @CILIPinfo @NewhamLibraries @readingagency #WorldBookDay #Books #Reading #Libraries #LibraryLife #Education #Teachers #School #BookTok #Arthur #ReadingAgency #NationalYearOfReading

Half-term survival mode: ON! 🚨 ​Parents, struggling to keep the kids entertained this week? Check out your local library! 🏛️✨ I’m blown away by one schedule: ​🧠 Family Quizzes (for competitive souls) ​🎲 Board Game marathons ​🎨 Arts & Crafts (leave the mess there, not at home!) ​🧱 Lego Club ​Most sessions are free or low-cost, plus you leave with a fresh stack of books. Win-win! 🏆 ​What are your plans for the break? Got any "parent hacks" to share? ​#parents #halfterm #library #kids #activities

📬✨ Things you don’t expect in the post… My chat on @BBCNews was the most viewed on their website! 🎖️ Bobby Seagull MBE in the New Year Honours for services to public libraries As a child, my dad took me and my brothers every week to our local East Ham Library. Those weekly pilgrimages helped shape who I am today 📚❤️ Since my time on BBC’s University Challenge, I’ve been lucky to gain a platform to share my love of learning on TV and social media 📺📖 Even now, especially with four book clubs! Libraries remain central to my life and learning journey. Libraries are the beating hearts of our high streets and communities 💙 I’ll continue to campaign for them as a former @CILIPinfo Libraries Champion and current @readingagency Ambassador. This MBE is dedicated to all our libraries and librarians - thank you for everything you do 🙌📚 Libraries are FREE for everyone, so let’s use them, support them, and make sure they’re properly funded ✨ 🔗 Read more here: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crrk… #library #libraries #books #booktok #reading 📚✨ @NewhamLibraries

🎄 Christmas can be a lonely time of year for some, and that matters. 📚 Libraries are more than books (even though I love books!) - they’re safe, welcoming spaces that offer connection, warmth and belonging. 💛 Even on Christmas Eve, my local library is open and available for most of the holiday period. A powerful reminder of how valuable and inclusive these spaces are. If you’re feeling alone or just need a calm place to be, libraries are there for us. #library #libraries #christmas #community #belonging #publicspaces @NewhamLibraries @NewhamLondon @CILIPinfo

Are libraries just about books? 📚 Yes - AND so much more. My local library hosted a construction careers fair 🚧👷‍♀️, helping people take their next step on the employment ladder. For me, growing up in East London, East Ham Library was my safe place. Those Saturday visits with my dad shaped who I became ❤️ #Library #Libraries #Reading #Community #Careers #CareersFair #ConstructionCareers #MoreThanBooks #LibraryLife

West Ham 2–2 V Bournemouth and just OUT of relegation zone ⚒️📈 Hosting a West Ham panel with historian Tim Crane & writer Pete May. Chats on club’s East London roots, legends, managers, & unforgettable community stories ⚽💬 Thanks @NewhamBookshop for giving us gift ideas 📚🎁 #COYI #WestHam #Hammers #EastLondon #History @NewhamStories @NewhamLibraries @NewhamLondon @EXHammersMag

🎤⚒️ I’m HOSTING a special @WestHam history event! Join historian Tim Crane and super fan Pete May as we explore the Hammers’ East London roots, legends, managers & community stories. 📅 22 Nov 2025 | ⏰ 5–6pm 📍 Stratford Library (for Newham Festival of Stories) 🔗 newhamfestivalofstories.org/… #COYI #WestHam #Hammers #EastLondon #History @NewhamStories @NewhamLibraries @NewhamLondon @EXHammersMag