December Newsletter
Written 4 Dec 2025
We often don’t get to look back and reflect as much as we’d like on the huge cultural moments we’ve brought to the library and our community, developing our understanding of what a library can and should be. We’ve been working on evaluating the programme recently, interviewing participants, artists, librarians, members of the local community and people we’ve developed key partner relationships with.
We’ve had a huge, busy, bustly, wonderful, experimental, playful year with all of you! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this year and we can’t wait for more in 2026 after a period of rest, reflection and wintering.
A reminder that we’re starting December with Messy Grief: A week of fun, cathartic, joyful events for Grief Awareness Week.
This time of year can be especially hard to navigate and, amongst the celebrations and the pressure to feel festive, it can feel heavy when someone we love is no longer here. This week of events is a chance to reconnect with others who understand love and loss and grapple with the uncomfortable, shameful or ignored forms of grief that we often keep bottled up or hidden.
All events are open to everyone, whether you’ve experienced grief or not.
Smashing Ceremony
Want to smash up your grief? Have an item that reminds you of someone that you want to smash up?
Join artist Lowri Evans for a smashing ceremony, each bringing an item to dedicate and smash!
Come and explore the uncomfortable, messiness of grief and the feelings around it we don’t normally talk about.
Grief Gathering
A welcoming space for everyone, whether you've experienced grief or not — to connect, share feelings and experiences around love and loss. This Grief Gathering is with artist Brendan Curtis with personal experience of grief and a leader of previous grief gatherings across Liverpool.
It’s more important to us than ever to welcome everyone to the library and celebrate our diverse communities in Sefton. Last month we had our Harvest Home feast in Bootle to close artist Hannah Fincham’s residency in our Kitchen Library: ‘Seasoning’
On 12th December we’ve got a very special last Colour of Pomegranates of the year: Zafah. You’re invited to join us for a Sudanese wedding ceremony at the library.
Inspired by the Arabic word زفة (Zafah), meaning wedding procession, the celebration will include traditional Sudanese dishes, a bride model, henna and live performance, live music and insights about Sudanese culture.
Come and eat, dance, celebrate and meet your neighbours in Bootle for cultural exchange!
holiday present ideas
Looking for a present for someone?
This year we produced Queue Up And Dance by artist Dave Evans, a book bringing together interviews with everyone who donated to our archive of Quadrant Park: the country’s first, legal all-night rave which started in Bootle. The book interviews all those who donated to the archive alongside the DJs and organisers who started the night.
The book is available to buy and would make the perfect gift for the community organiser, artist, DJ, activist or grass roots culture nerd in your life!
wintering
Our programme winds to a close for Christmas soon, finishing on 13th December to allow us all to ease into the festive period and reflect on what a wonderful year we’ve had. We’ll be gathering our thoughts and heading into 2026 gently, getting ready to come back fresh full of ideas and moments to meet you all At The Library.
Thank you to everybody who has joined us this year and helped shape the programme. We’ll see you all next year!