Friends of Marsden Library

FULLY BOOKED Laureate's Library Tour - Marsden - Afternoon Performance
2025-03-09 14:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
‘I want to celebrate the physical space of libraries and take my work back into places that have given me so much.’
Each spring this decade, Simon Armitage will give readings across the UK, from the flagship libraries of the big cities to smaller libraries serving rural and remote communities. Using the alphabet as a compass, his journey will celebrate the library as one of the great and necessary institutions.
Join Simon in the next stage of his 10-year adventure for a series of free poetry readings live in libraries.
‘My experience of reading and writing began in the village library where I grew up, (that’s Marsden he’s talking about – Ed) then in the nearby town library, then in libraries at various places of study and teaching. For many people they are an invaluable aspect of everyday life, giving access not just to books but to services, learning, conversation and creative thinking. I want to pay my respects to these unique institutions. By planning readings up to a decade in advance I’m being optimistic about the future of our libraries, and challenging those authorities who would consider closing them down.’
Marsden Library is the fifth stop of the 2025 tour, L to M Libraries, which includes six libraries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Two Performances

Sunday 9th March, Doors 1.30, Event 2.00 – 3.00
Sunday 9th March, Doors 6.00, Event 6.30 – 7.30

Book Sales and Signing

How to Enter the Ticket Ballot
You can enter the ballot by:

Entering your details in the ticket link below – if you have access to the internet please help us by using the online ticket link.
At the Marsden Mechanics reception, Monday – Saturday: pick up and complete the ballot form and leave it in the box provided by Friday 21st February.
By phoning Marsden Mechanics on 01484 844587 Monday 10 – Friday 14 February.
You will be asked to state how many tickets you would like (max 2 per person) and which performance you can attend, and to provide either an email address (preferred) or phone number (if you don’t have an email address) so that we can contact you if you are successful in the ballot.
If you don’t hear from us, we’re sorry but you have been unlucky this time.

All routes onto the ballot give an equal chance of success, please help us by using our online link if you can.
Ballot closes at 5pm on Friday 21st February.
Enter the Ballot

FULLY BOOKED Laureate's Library Tour - Marsden - Evening Performance
2025-03-09 18:30 - 19:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
‘I want to celebrate the physical space of libraries and take my work back into places that have given me so much.’
Each spring this decade, Simon Armitage will give readings across the UK, from the flagship libraries of the big cities to smaller libraries serving rural and remote communities. Using the alphabet as a compass, his journey will celebrate the library as one of the great and necessary institutions.
Join Simon in the next stage of his 10-year adventure for a series of free poetry readings live in libraries.
‘My experience of reading and writing began in the village library where I grew up, (that’s Marsden he’s talking about – Ed) then in the nearby town library, then in libraries at various places of study and teaching. For many people they are an invaluable aspect of everyday life, giving access not just to books but to services, learning, conversation and creative thinking. I want to pay my respects to these unique institutions. By planning readings up to a decade in advance I’m being optimistic about the future of our libraries, and challenging those authorities who would consider closing them down.’
Marsden Library is the fifth stop of the 2025 tour, L to M Libraries, which includes six libraries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Two Performances

Sunday 9th March, Doors 1.30, Event 2.00 – 3.00
Sunday 9th March, Doors 6.00, Event 6.30 – 7.30

Book signing and sales from Read

How to Enter the Ticket Ballot
You can enter the ballot by:

Entering your details in the ticket link below – if you have access to the internet please help us by using the online ticket link.
At the Marsden Mechanics reception, Monday – Saturday: pick up and complete the ballot form and leave it in the box provided by Friday 21 February.
By phoning Marsden Mechanics on 01484 844587, Monday 10 – Friday 14 February
You will be asked to state how many tickets you would like (max 2 per person) and which performance you can attend, and to provide either an email address (preferred) or phone number (if you don’t have an email address) so that we can contact you if you are successful in the ballot.
If you don’t hear from us, we’re sorry but you have been unlucky this time.

All routes onto the ballot give an equal chance of success, please help us by using our online link if you can.
Ballot closes at 5pm on Friday 21st February.
Enter the Ballot

Stella Halkyard - Library Lives: A Bookworm's Lifelong Love of Libraries
2025-04-03 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Q: What do all these have in common?

William Wordsworth’s hair
Marcel Proust’s hair
Mrs Gaskell’s sewing scissors
The lining of Walt Whitman’s hat
Delia Derbyshire’s wartime gas mask

A: You can find them all in the collections of the John Rylands Library in Manchester!
Stella Halkyard will read from and discuss her book, Library Lives, described by the TLS as ‘a small, eloquent treasury’,’a fitting tribute to the breadth and eclectism of the Rylands’.
Read the TLS Review
Date: Thursday 3rd April
Doors Open: 7.00 pm
Event: 7.30 – 8.30 pm
FREE: booking required. Please visit Marsden Library or book here to reserve your seats.
Library Lives plots the lifelong love affair between one particular bookworm and the John Rylands Library in Manchester, its collections drawn from every corner and period of the world.
Stella Halkyard studied English at the University of Newcastle, History of Art at the University of Manchester, and Archive Studies at the University of Liverpool. She was the Joint Head of Special Collections at the John Rylands Library at the University of Manchester where she curated its Modern Literary Archives, Art, Photography and Object Collections for many years.
As a curator, she was responsible for the endless classifying, documenting, and describing that brings alive library collections. Over the last two decades, her popular ‘Pictures from a Library’ and ‘Archive Corner’ features published in PN Review told the life stories of these and many other fascinating objects.
Now, the objects and their stories are brought together in Library Lives, unlocking the vibrancy of the Ryland’s collections for a new generation of readers, enabling them to discover the richness of its contents and take them on their own readerly and writerly adventures.

A Wilding Year, Hannah Dale - with Huddersfield Literature Festival
2025-05-15 19:00 - 20:00 | West Yorkshire
Enjoy an illustrated talk from Hannah Dale, the artist behind successful stationery and gift design company Wrendale Designs, about the ambitious rewilding project that she and her husband have undertaken on their 300-acre farm.
When Hannah and Jack inherited his father’s farm in North Lincolnshire, they soon realised that the poor soil made it challenging for food production and the perfect candidate for rewilding.
In her new book, A Wilding Year, she recounts the remarkable process of restoring the farm’s ecosystems, creating a mosaic of opportunities for wildlife at a time when the natural world is in great need of protection.
Hannah will give a talk about the rewilding process and show some of her stunning sketches and illustrations that capture the beauty and power of nature across the seasons.
Hannah Dale runs Wrendale Designs, a stationery and gift design company that specialises in endearing illustrations depicting British wildlife, which she founded in 2012. Hannah grew up in rural Lincolnshire which has always inspired her watercolour illustrations. Studying art at school before reading zoology at Cambridge, she went on to work as a stockbroker in London before returning to Lincolnshire to find an outlet for her artistic roots and passion for ecology and conservation. Hannah’s previous books include: A Dog’s Life, The Farmyard Set, Born to be Wild, The Young Ones and Flying the Nest.

15th May
Doors: 6.30pm
Event: 7pm – 8pm
Bar, Refreshments, Signing

Tickets from Huddersfield Literature Festival

Calendar Competition
2025-06-01 08:00 - 2025-06-30 23:59 | West Yorkshire

Sarah Brooks, The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wasteland
2025-06-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Northern Bookshelf Live from New Writing North
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands – Readings and Q&A
Come join us at Marsden Library for an evening of literary escapism. Sarah will read from her debut novel and Sunday Times Bestseller, The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastlands, a historical fantasy set on a version of the Trans-Siberian express. “It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.” Audience Q&A, book signing and sales.

Thursday 26th June
Marsden Library
Doors: 6.30 pm, Event: 7.00pm
Bottle Bar, Signing & Sales
£3
Get your tickets here

Determination, with Tawseef Khan
2025-09-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Northern Bookshelf Live from New Writing North
Determination
Jamila Shah is twenty-nine and exhausted. An immigration solicitor tasked with running the precious family law firm, Jamila is prone to being woken in the middle of the night by frantic phone calls from clients on the cusp of deportation. Working under the shadow of the government’s ‘hostile environment’, she constantly prays and hopes that their ‘determinations’ will result in her clients being allowed to stay. With no time for friends, family or even herself (never mind a needy partner), Jamila’s life feels hectic and out of control. Then a breakdown of sorts forces her to seek change – to pursue her own happiness while navigating the endless expectations that the world seems to have of her, and still committing herself to a career devoted to helping others. In this assured and character-driven debut, we meet the staff of Shah & Co Solicitors, who themselves arrived in the UK not too long ago, and their clients, more recent arrivals – all trying to achieve some semblance of normality.
About the Author
Tawseef Khan is a qualified immigration solicitor and holds a doctoral degree from the University of Liverpool, where he examined the fairness of the British asylum system. He is also a graduate of the creative writing programme at the University of East Anglia, where he received the Seth Donaldson Memorial Bursary. His fiction has appeared in Lighthouse and Test Signal: a Northern anthology; his non-fiction in the New York Times, The Face and Hyphen. His debut non-fiction book Muslim, Actually was published by Atlantic in 2021. His debut novel Determination will be published in paperback on 19 June 2025. He lives in Manchester.

2025 Marsden Calendar On Sale
2025-10-02 - 2025-12-31 | West Yorkshire

Annual General Meeting 2025
2025-11-17 18:45 - 19:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Notice of AGM

Volunteer Information Afternoon
2025-11-26 14:00 - 16:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Volunteers are an essential part of keeping Marsden Library open and new volunteers are always welcome. You would work alongside a member of staff, and you would receive full training. If you would like to find out more, drop in to the Information Afternoon on 26th November. If you’re interested, but can’t make it, just drop us a line – info@friendsofmarsdenlibrary.org.uk.

NEW DATE The Blue of You with Amanda Huggins
2026-01-29 19:30 - 21:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom

Cycling Legends with Chris Sidwells
2026-02-08 14:30 - 16:00 | West Yorkshire
Presented with thanks to our sponsor, Wood’s Bicycle Service and Repair, and supported with grant funding from the Cuckoo’s Nest, Marsden
Love riding your bike – it’s a Sunday afternoon – why not do a social ride to join us (plenty of space for bike parking on the Cobbles outside the Mechanics)?
Booking Link:

Brian Groom: These Isles, a People's History of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
2026-03-05 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW
Book Here, just £3

Crazy Chemicals at Marsden Library
2026-03-19 16:00 - 17:15 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom

An Evening of Poetry with John McAuliffe
2026-04-02 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Get Your Ticket Here
John McAuliffe grew up in County Kerry, Ireland. The Gallery Press has published his five collections: A Better Life (2002), which was shortlisted for a Forward Prize in 2002; Next Door (2007); Of All Places (2011), which was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation; The Way In (2015), which was joint winner of the Michael Hartnett Award; and The Kabul Olympics (forthcoming).
He teaches poetry at the University of Manchester’s Centre for New Writing.

Story Trail: True or Poo
2026-04-10 13:30 - 16:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Come into the Library to pick up a Story Trail sheet, and seek out the answers in Marsden Park.

Author Event: Normally Weird & Weirdly Normal - Robin Ince
2026-04-17 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW
Get Tickets (£10/£8)
It’s a HUGE pleasure once again to welcome Robin Ince to Marsden, with his latest book, ‘Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal’.
Join us in the Mechanics for what’s sure to be a fast-paced, humorous and insightful conversation about Robin’s own experience of neurodiversity. There’ll be time to buy books, and chat to Robin – and you’ll be able to get a copy of the paperback ahead of its official publication date of 30 April – EXCLUSIVE!
A powerful, personal exploration of anxiety, ADHD and neurodiversity, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal reminds us all – no matter how weird we feel – that it’s okay to be a little different. We all are.
What if being a bit weird is actually entirely normal? What if sharing our internal struggles wasn’t a sign of weakness, but strength?
For over thirty years, award-winning broadcaster and comedian Robin Ince has entertained thousands in person and on air. But underneath the surface, a whirlwind was at play – a struggle with sadness, concentration, self-doubt and near-constant anxiety. But then he discovered he had all the hallmarks of ADHD and his stumbling blocks became stepping stones.
In Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal, Robin uses his own experiences to explore the neurodivergent experience and to ask what the point of “being normal” really is. Packed with personal insights, intimate anecdotes and interviews with psychologists, neuroscientists and many neurodivergent people he has met along the way, this is a quirky and witty dive into the world of human behaviour.
£10/£8
17th April
Doors: 7pm
Event: 7.30pm – 8.30pm
On sale now – book online

Neighbourhood Police Team Drop in - 23 April, 11.00 - 12.00
2026-04-23 11:00 - 12:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom

The Lost Art of Letter Writing
2026-05-07 10:30 - 12:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom

HLF 2026: Ancient: Reviving the Woods That Made Britain, with Luke Barley
2026-05-10 14:30 - 16:30 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW

Manga Comic Workshop - Marsden Library
2026-05-28 10:30 - 12:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Comics, Manga, Kawaii, Comic Strips, Superheroes we’re drawing them all.
Join illustrator Guy who’ll guide you through the art of illustrating your comics.
All materials provided.
Children 7+
Book Here: Free, spaces limited

Scraptastic Storytime
2026-05-29 14:00 - 15:00 | West Yorkshire
Scraptastic Storytime
Marsden Library, 29th May, 2 – 3pm
Suitable for ages 3-12
Free! Booking Essential.
Read ‘Tidy’ by Emily Gravett and create animal masks inspired by the story.
Call in to the Library to book, or phone Sally – 01484 414868. Places are limited.

DecoupageWorkshop
2026-06-04 10:30 - 12:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom

Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlisted - The Mercy Step with Marcia Hutchinson
2026-06-18 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Book Online Here

Women's Prize for Fiction Longlisted - The Others, Sheena Kalayil
2026-06-25 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
