MANIL event ideas
This 'ideas bank' has been compiled to give you inspiration about
things your library could do during Make a Noise in Libraries
Fortnight. These events and activities have worked well for other
libraries so take your pick.
You could link several ideas together to form a bigger event or
organise several different activities that will appeal to different
groups during the fortnight.
We will add tips and suggestions to this list so that it becomes a
growing resource. Please let us what you are doing so that we can
share your experience and expertise with other libraries.
Signposting to other reading services
 Use Reading Sight (www.readingsight.org.uk) to help answer
customer queries about accessible reading. This free website is
packed with information about all aspects of providing an
accessible library service for blind and partially sighted people.
 Your Reading Choices is a quick free online tool on the Reading
Sight website. It leads to a personal reading plan for someone
with sight loss including contact details for organisations
offering the most appropriate resources and help.
 Why not hold a reading surgery or drop-in session for blind and
partially sighted people in your area? This could be part of an
open day or coffee morning. Invite local organisations to take
part as well - more advice about this is provided below.
 Make sure your library has copies of these leaflets: Carry on
Reading (for adults) and Ways of Reading (for children) on
display. Order copies in print, audio and braille from the RNIB
Helpline on 0303 123 9999, email helpline@rnib.org.uk
 RNIB's online library catalogue contains books (for loan and/or
sale) in audio, giant print and braille from RNIB National Library
Service.
 Visit our online shop for a wide range of other reading services
from RNIB including leisure magazines, Big Print newspaper,
tactile maps, large print puzzle books, reading equipment,
magnifiers and lighting.
RNIB – supporting blind and partially sighted people
Registered charity number 226227
 Talking Newspapers and Magazines offers more than 230
newspapers and magazines including weekly audio digests of
all the major daily and Sunday newspapers.
 Visit www.rnib.org.uk/childrensreading to help children and
young people with sight loss enjoy the magic of reading.
 www.load2learn@rnib.org.uk is a free service providing
accessible textbooks and images to support dyslexic, partially
sighted or blind learners who have difficulty reading standard
print.
Audio and large print books
 Expand your range of audio and large print books or launch a
new collection if you don't already provide this service.
 Arrange a themed or general display of audio and large print
books in your library to promote what you offer.
 Have an audiobook playing quietly in a corner as part of an
audiobook display. This has worked well in a number of libraries
without disturbing library users or you could provide
headphones for private listening.
 Display of braille and giant print books (we can lend you books
for your display)
 Make 'A Date with DAISY' - why not promote the benefits of
DAISY audio by demonstrating the versatile features of DAISY
Talking Book players.
 RNIB has a network of volunteers across the country who can
help blind and partially sighted people with audio book players,
using the RNIB online library catalogue and choosing books as
well as fixing problems with computers and other technology
used around the home.
Access technology and eBooks
 Install access technology and make sure your staff know how to
use it.
 Accessible IT demonstrations and computer taster sessions for
people with sight loss are a popular and effective way to bring
people into your library who might not otherwise consider calling
in.
rnib.org.uk
 Run an eBook taster session, providing a demonstration of how
to set up an account and download books using your library's
website.
 Give your reading group an eBook theme. You could link up
with an eBook provider or show different types of eBook reader.
 View RNIB's ebooks DVD on youtube and hear blind and
partially sighted people talk about what a difference eBooks are
making for them and what improvements are still required.
 One library held a fortnight of computer sessions full of music,
conversation and stories. Topics covered included streaming
music, using Skype, and watching TV or listening to the radio
over the internet.
Guest speakers/talks
Audio book narrators and producers
 Gordon Griffin is a regular speaker at MANIL events around the
country
 Clipper Audio/WF Howes
 Authors and poets - writers who live locally are often willing to
help.
 Your local blind society or sensory impairment team will be
happy to talk about local services for people with sight loss.
Find your nearest society for blind and partially sighted people
on the Visionary website (www.visionary.org.uk) or you could
contact your local talking newspaper (www.tnf.org.uk)
Reading events
Storytelling (for adults and children) - Storytelling is a great
opportunity to offer a book-time with a difference.Organise a guest
storyteller to visit your library or if you have a staff member with a
flair for reading aloud, why not hold your own session?
 The Persula Foundation organises UK storytelling tours
 Society for Storytelling has a list of storytelling clubs and events
 Reading groups - launch a new reading group for people with
sight loss in your area, or hold your regular reading group (vi or
mixed) during MANIL Fortnight. Themes that work well include
armchair travel, food and drink, short stories, romance and local
history.
rnib.org.uk
 Poetry readings and short story readings
 Reading aloud
 Drama and reading extracts from a play with people taking
different parts
Music
 Drumming workshops - one library followed this with a noisy
parade through the library
 Choir recitals and live music performances
 Film music
 Talks by local musicians
 Short performances from primary and secondary pupils
 Karaoke machine
 Ceilidh band
Children
 Rhyme time sessions and storytelling - use percussion
instruments, sound recordings and noisy/sensory props to bring
a story alive for young listeners. One library followed the book
'We are going on a bear hunt', using ice, gloop, water etc and
rounded it all off with a hand painting session.
 A display of tactile books for children – contact ClearVision
(www.clearvisionproject.org); Bag Books (www.bagbooks.org);
Access2Books (www.access2books.org) and Living Paintings
(www.livingpaintings.org)
 Braille puzzles for sighted children - find and work out clues in
braille around the library. Help children to write their names in
braille. Tactile mazes and jokes in braille also go down well.
rnib.org.uk
Staff training and development
 Make sure library staff are familiar with Reading Sight
(www.readingsight.org.uk) so they can find the information they
need to answer enquiries from blind and partially sighted
people.
 Organise a session on Your Reading Choices (part of Reading
Sight) for library staff . Your Reading Choices consists of a
series of questions, leading to a Personal Reading Plan for
someone who is blind or partially sighted. The plan identifies the
key organisations that offer the most appropriate reading
resources and help to meet an individual's needs. Your Reading
Choices is part of the Reading Sight website.
 Run a visual impairment awareness course so that your staff
understand the difficulties blind and partially sighted people
have and how to provide assistance if it is required.
Other
Open days and coffee mornings - these events work really well
and can be adapted to suit your library opening times and staffing
resources.
Some libraries find that having a display of aids and equipment by
the local society or sensory impairment team works well. It
encourages blind and partially sighted people to visit the library,
especially those who might not otherwise consider calling in. You
can find your local society for blind and partially sighted people on
the Visionary website.
Add a touch of fun with quizzes, library jokes, 'Did you know?' facts
and braille codebreaker puzzles.
Action for Blind People have a Mobile Sight Loss Information
Service that can be booked during MANIL Fortnight or at any time
during the year.
rnib.org.uk
Also try
 Exhibition of paintings and sculpture by local people who are
blind or partially sighted
 Textiles and textures session
 Aromatherapy – guess the scent
 Audio-described DVDs
 Creative writing
 Reminiscence
 Books linked to local history and family history
 Books as part of one's health and well-being
 Knit and natter in the dark!
 Relaxation, health and beauty sessions (visiting therapists from
local college)
rnib.org.uk