A SERIES of free events are being put on across the borough to celebrate National Libraries Day.

Poet and short-fiction writer Ros Goddard will be visiting Wordsley Library on Friday (February 5) at 10.30am to help promote the Wordsley Poetry Reading Group.

While on National Libraries Day itself, Saturday, February 6, Emma Purshouse and Michael Thomas will be at Dudley Library between 10am and 1pm to create personalised poems for people to take away.

Stourbridge Library will be celebrating on Saturday with an event at noon, featuring Gavin Young, who will be giving a variety of live storytelling performances both in and around the library.

Councillor Rachel Harris, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “During National Libraries Day we want to invite people to come into our libraries to find out what services are available and we want to show how libraries and reading can enrich and improve the lives of people everywhere.”

Also taking place at the borough’s libraries this month will be a number of talks, costing £3, on family history and Black Country heritage.

They will take place at Kingswinford Library on Tuesday (February 2) between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, Halesowen Library on Wednesday, February 10, between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, Dudley Library on Tuesday, February 23, at 3.15pm, and Stourbridge Library on Friday, February 26, at 2.30pm.

Cllr Harris added: “Everybody has a history, and every neighbourhood and local area has a unique heritage, and both are brought to life by these talks which encourage us to find out more about who we are and where we’re from.”

For more information on any of the events, call 01384 815560, or visit your local library.