Next month sees Suffolk Libraries hosting an online book festival which will allow readers to take part in a virtual Q&A with some of their favourite authors including Bernard Cornwell, Anthony Horowitz, Kathy Reichs and Elly Griffiths.

This digital event, running between Monday March 15 and Sunday March 21, will incorporate Suffolk Libraries Day – Suffolk Libraries’ annual fundraising event will be taking place on Saturday March 20.

The event will celebrate the many ways Suffolk Libraries makes an impact on people’s lives across the county and help to raise vital funds to support the library service.

For the online book festival nine authors have been lined up for online discussions and to answer your questions. People can book for free but Suffolk Libraries would appreciate a donation when you sign up. You can see the full programme and book your ticket here

Ipswich Star: Kathy Reichs will be answering readers queries at the Suffolk Libraries Book Festival in MarchKathy Reichs will be answering readers queries at the Suffolk Libraries Book Festival in March (Image: Marie-Reine Mattera)

For youngsters there will also be a new scarecrow trail activity designed to inspire people to create their own scarecrow based on a character from a book, film, TV or the theatre. The scarecrows can then be placed in people’s gardens or windows and logged on an online map so people can have fun discovering them whilst out for their daily exercise.
You can join in by making a donation. The trail is designed to engage youngsters and their parents and show how creative communities across Suffolk can be. For more information visit here.

Finally Suffolk Libraries will also be holding its first online quiz on Saturday March 20 at 7.30pm, sponsored by Pretty’s Solicitors. Tickets cost £3 per person and there are some great prizes for the top three scores. It’ll be hosted via Zoom by Suffolk Libraries’ resident quizmaster and manager of Southwold Library Charlotte Clark, assisted by her dog. You can sign up via the Suffolk Libraries website.

Ipswich Star: Novelist Elly Griffiths will be an online guest at the Suffolk Libraries Book FestivalNovelist Elly Griffiths will be an online guest at the Suffolk Libraries Book Festival (Image: ©www.sarareeve.com)

Bruce Leeke, CEO of Suffolk Libraries said: “Our second Suffolk Libraries Day will be very different to the first, but we’ve adapted our plans to be able to provide activities which people across the Suffolk can enjoy and take part in. We have reached out to people throughout the pandemic doing everything we can to support them during these difficult times. Whether through our website, a physical book, phone call or act of kindness we have continued to make a difference to people’s lives. We’re asking people to show their support for what we do by taking part, having fun and helping us to raise vital funds to do even more for the people of Suffolk in the future.”

Suffolk Libraries Day is Suffolk Libraries’ biggest annual fundraising event, showcasing and celebrating the impact of the organisation across Suffolk. Nearly 50 Suffolk organisations and businesses supported the first Suffolk Libraries Day in 2019 by making donations or taking part in fundraising events. The event raised £16,400 and attracted an extra 4,000 people to libraries on the day.

For more information visit suffolklibrariesday.co.uk If your organisation would like to get involved in supporting Suffolk Libraries Day please email suffolklibrariesday@suffolklibraries.co.uk