View the schedule of regular events
The events schedule shows regular events across the libraries and can be searched and filtered by location, audience and keywords.
Saturday 3 June 2023 - 10am to 3.30pm at Central Library
The Bonsai Show returns to Central Library on 3 June with friendly advice, sales and ikebana display. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.
The show is supported by the Milton Keynes Bonsai Society, Ikebana Club, Bedfordshire Bonsai Society, Northamptonshire Bonsai Society and Middlesex Bonsai Society and Mid-Hertfordshire Bonsai Club.
First session Friday 9 June 2023 - 10am to 12pm
Are you looking for a little help with your smartphone? We have an amazing volunteer ready to offer you advice.
Sessions are free and run on the second Friday each month 10am to 12pm at Wolverton Library. No booking is necessary, simply drop-in anytime during the session or ask staff at Wolverton Library if you'd like more information.
The competition closes at the end of the day on Saturday 3 June.
To enter, collect an entry form from the library, create your portrait masterpiece, fill in your contact details and return it to any of the MK libraries before they close on 3 June.
Three winners will be selected from each of the three age groups:
Winners will be selected by library colleagues and the decision is final. Winners will be contacted soon after the closing date with instructions on how to collect their book token prizes.
Good luck to all the young artists!
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
From Friday 5 May, visitors to any of the Milton Keynes libraries will be offered free wildflower seeds during this period of Coronation celebration.
This is a gesture to recognise King Charles III's enthusiasm and care for the environment. By planting wildflowers around Milton Keynes, you'll be helping both the local bees and the environment as a whole.
Seeds will be available while stocks last - ask at the staff desk for your packet when you next visit one of the libraries.
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
22 June 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush which signalled the start of the Commonwealth citizens who came to live in Britain between 1948 and 1971, known as the Windrush Generation. Milton Keynes City Council is celebrating with a programme of events at Central MK Library.
7 June to 6 July 2023
The Story of Windrush Migrants follows the journey of the migrants who arrived in Britain on the HMI Empire Windrush in 1948, encompassing the history of their arrival and settlement, work and employment, family and social life and contributions and achievements.
Visit the exhibition on the first floor at Central Library. Entry is free.
Saturday 10 June 2-4pm at Central Library
Part of the Windrush 75th Anniversary programme.
Historian Stephen Bourne will present an engaging and informative illustrated talk about his Black British History books. From Aunt Esther's Story in 1991 (the story of his adopted aunt, a Black Londoner born in 1912) to his acclaimed children's version of Black Poppies which was published in 2022. He will also give an overview of the Caribbean contribution to World War Two and the lives of some of the Windrush passengers who arrived here in 1948.
Starting in 1991, Stephen has managed, against the odds, to publish many books about the Black British experience. His best known is Black Poppies, his acclaimed study of Black servicemen in the First World War.
Deep Are the Roots, which celebrates the pioneers of Black British theatre, beginning in 1825 when Ira Aldridge made history as the first Black actor to play Othello in the United Kingdom, was shortlisted for the Society for Theatre Research Book Prize in 2022.
Tickets are free and must be booked in advance. Book your place on Stephen's talk by following this link.
Visit Stephen's website to discover more about his work or find Stephen's books on the library catalogue.
Saturday 17 June 2023 at Central Library
Create your own colourful headpiece with Caribbean colours in these free Windrush-inspired family craft sessions delivered by Learning Through the Arts. Sessions are free to attend but must be booked online in advance:
Crafts are suitable for children aged 4 to 12 years and all children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the session.
Thursday 22 June 2023 - 6pm to 7.30pm at Central Library
Part of the Windrush 75th Anniversary Programme.
Learning Through the Arts will be delivering this FREE poetry writing workshop as part of the heritage project: The Story of Windrush Migrants: 75th Anniversary. Discussions and creativity during the session will be inspired by selected Windrush poems. (Suitable for ages 18+). Places are limited and must be booked online in advance.
Book your place on the poetry workshop by following this link.
We hope you'll visit Central Library where you will find a selection of Windrush books on display during June with booklists of both fiction and non-fiction titles for both adults and young readers.
Regular events and services for each library are also listed on the individual library information pages. New and one-off events are shown in the section above.
Please note that some activities are term time only.
English conversation club is for anyone who would like to practise and improve their English as a second language, gain better skills for study or employment, or just get on in everyday life.
Discover MK
The Discover MK Showcase area is on the first floor at Central Library. It is the primary showcase for the archive, museum and heritage of Milton Keynes and the surrounding area. It has a regularly changing series of exhibitions throughout the year and more information can be found on the Discover MK website.
A photographic exhibition celebrating the ways in which our community comes together – co-curated by Living Archive MK and city photographer Sagar Kharecha.
Over recent years it has been difficult for many communities to gather in person. This exhibition celebrates different communities across Milton Keynes as they come together: in protest, in commemoration or in celebration.
Living Archive MK has worked with local documentary photographer Sagar Kharecha. Sagar is dedicated to recording life in Milton Keynes in all its diversity. He describes himself as a ‘hyperlocal’ photographer, he shoots on 35mm black and white film, and he is fascinated by all aspects of life in the city.
The exhibition also features archive photos from Living Archive’s collections.
CONNEXIONS Art Exhibition at Central Library - 8 June to 8 July 2023
Visit the Event Space on the ground floor to see a selection of artwork by artists Clive Bryant, Mike Dales, Toby Michael, David Newens, Matt Waruszynski, Peter Bashford, Len Gifford and Csaba Tibor Palotas.
Please note that this exhibition has adult themes.
JOIN ME: Our 2020 Events - Memorial Quilt at Stony Stratford Library
Visit Stony Stratford Library to see this lockdown memorial quilt on display. It’s a community quilt project by Thread Thread Wine to memorialise the events that we most missed in 2020, whether cancelled, lost or postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Soraya Tate, founder of Thread Thread Wine
At Christmas 2020 I decided to make a memorial quilt, dedicated to acknowledging the events and opportunities that we lost in 2020.
This is the project so far; I hope you enjoy viewing it and reading about it. We have 42 submissions and the quilt is 3m long.
We have made some of the squares into cards for sale, to raise money for the mental health charity MIND.
If you would like to contribute your artwork to this project, please email Soraya or visit the Thread Thread Wine (TTW) Facebook page.
Read more about the background to this project, the inspiration and the artists who have contributed by visiting the Memorial quilt project page.
OUR LOCAL WILDLIFE EXHIBITION at Central Library - 9 May to 3 June 2023
Visit the first floor at Central Library to see an exhibition of wildlife photography by Harry Appleyard.
Harry is a local photographer who has compiled images for the exhibition by studying the amazing wildlife that can be found around the many habitats of Milton Keynes. The exhibition features elusive mammals, rare migrating birds and some of the most photogenic insects in the area.
You can read more about Harry Appleyard and his photography on his website.
Friends Groups work in partnership with us and closely with local library teams to help support and enhance libraries in our local communities.
They provide an important contribution to support and maintain awareness of a library in a local community.
Folio - Olney Library
Folio (The Friends of the Library in Olney) run a programme of talks which are held 7.30-8.30pm at The Olney Centre, Room 4 and they request that you arrive at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Refreshments are served after each talk.
Tickets are £5 in advance and can be booked online at Ticketsource or by phoning Ticketsource on 0333 666 3366.
If you are no longer able to attend or have any questions, please email olneyfoliofriends@gmail.com.
You can download a printable schedule of Folio talks here.
FoSSL - Stony Stratford Library
FoSSL (The Friends of Stony Stratford Library) run regular talks at the library and details for booking tickets for these events will be released closer to the time. If you'd like to join the mailing list to receive news and updates from FoSSL, email fosslmk@gmail.com.
Click on the session links to see the dates when clubs are running.
You can subscribe to library newsletters to hear the latest news or follow us on our various social media pages.
Do you enjoy reading? Would you like to talk about what you have read? Would you like to share your views with an informal group? Then why not join a reading group.
We're excited to bring you the Summer Reading Challenge each year during the summer holidays. The Summer Reading Challenge 2023 Ready, Set, Read! begins at Milton Keynes City Libraries on 21 July.
We are currently recruiting volunteers to become Summer Reading Challenge Champions. If you're aged between 13 and 25 you can read more and apply online on the Summer Reading Challenge web page. Closing date for applications is 29 June 2023.
We hope you'll consider joining our team here at the Milton Keynes Libraries. You'll find details of any current vacancies across our libraries on the library vacancies webpage.
Milton Keynes Central Library, 555 Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 3HL