On Friday 11th November 2011, we hosted the Shetland launch of Jeff Merrifield's book Seeker, about theatre producer Ken Campbell. Helped by sketches played out by Serpentine Drama, this was an enjoyable and quirky event.

On 28th of October 2011 we presented another of our nights of Halloween nastiness. The Hellish Fiddler was in attendance, and there was excellent music from Jordan Ogre and Milford the Malevolent, as well as drama from Serpentine and some wonderully spooky readings and poetry. Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Library staff celebrated Children's Book Week, which ran from 3rd to 9th October 2011, in style by dressing up as characters from their favourite bairn's books. From left to right are Madame Hootch (Harry Potter), Mrs Goggins (Postman Pat), Little Miss Muffet, Pippa Longstocking and Mrs Trunchbull (Matilda).

National Poetry Day was on 7th of October 2011. The theme was games, so we made a variety of poetic word-game competitions for you to try. N+7 poetry: get a dictionary, choose a poem, replace all the nouns with ones seven ahead in the dictionary: create an interesting new poem! The winner is Margaret Rorie, with her new intepretation of a Dylan classic. 'ten thousand mince pies in the mud of a greenhouse...'

Silvija Crook, who has been the Manager of Shetland Library since 2005, retired on the 30th of September 2011. At a farewell reception for her and her husband Bill, who also retired from Shetland Islands Council on the same day, she was presented with gifts from the staff. Silvija will be greatly missed and we wish her the very happiest retirement. Press release about the Council retirements.

In 2011, we were delighted to announce our Librarians on Loan project. Funded by Scotlands Islands, the project is a staff exchange between Orkney and Shetland Libraries. As well as learning and sharing ideas, staff stage events to encourage more of the public to use our Libraries. The first Librarians on Loan events took place in Orkney Library and Archive on the 9th and 10th of September, when three Shetlanders travelled there to stage 2 children's events and an Orkney vs Shetland poetry night.

The Young Shetland Writer award ceremony took place at the Wordplay book festival on the 3rd of September. Donald Murray awarded the senior and dialect prizes to Peter Ratter (Brae School) and the junior prize to Rachel Clarke (Sandwick School). Photo by Billy Fox.

Find out more about the Young Shetland Writer competiton

Young local author Neil Butler launched his new book The Roost at the Library on Thursday, 1st September. The event on the Library mezzanine included music from Alan Mackay and Robert Bennet, a reading by the author and a discussion hosted by Mary Blance. This was a humourous and throughly enjoyable event enjoyed by large audience. Guardian review of The Roost

Eight Harry Potter fans enjoyed our papercraft workshop on the 20th of August, the same weekend that the final Harry Potter film was screened at the Garrison theatre. They all made Golden Snitches and Harry Potter models, and enjoyed talking about the stories.

We hope to run more craft workshops - look our for posters in the Library.

The final ceremony for Circus Stars - the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge - was held on Saturday 13th August. The Library was packed out as young readers who had read six books over the Summer came along to pick up their medals and certificates. Nearly 400 signed up for the Challenge this summer.

Bookbug visited Shetland during Talls Ships week in July, and went all the way to Unst and Yell as well as strolling the town and popping up in the Library. Bookbug: more information and dates.

Bell and Bullock Circus Theatre Company thrilled a large audience at the Library on Wednesday 20th July. They gave displays of all kinds of juggling, stilt walking and unicycle-riding, and then let everyone have a go themselves. Thanks to Karen and Dafe for bringing such fun with them.

Cheer Up, Grampa Gloomifjord, a new children's book by Jonathan Wills, was launched at the publisher’s reception at the Library on Thursday 9th June. Jonathan Wills and illustrater Martin Emslie signed copies, and the audience heard Jonathan read some of the stories from the book. They also enjoyed drinks, sandwiches, and a delicious cake made in the shape of a Norwegian flag.

From 23rd to 28th May 2011 we marked National Vegetarian week - check out our excellent stock of vegetarian cookbooks all year round. Vegetarian Society website

We celebrated BookBug day with two extra storytimes for peerie bairns on 19th May.

The storytimes for the under-5s went down a treat, especially the musical accompaniment provided by Milford. Thanks to all who came and enjoyed them. Remember you can bring your babies along to our regular Bookbug sessions every month - next BookBug dates here.

We hope you enjoyed our Spring school holilday storytimes. As well as sessions for peerie bairns, we read some stories for older primary school bairns.

The Bards in the Bog project is, sadly, drawing to an end in Summer 2011. We have just totted up the money raised by sales of the Bards in the Bog book, and are delighted to announce that £1,241 has been raised. This has been donated to the Charity WaterAid to help build school sanitation blocks. Thank you so much to the poets who contributed, to the buyers of books and to everyone who appreciated the poems in the toilets.

Shetland's latest audio book was launched on BBC Radio Shetland's Book Programme on Thursday 3rd March. Lay Hold on Life by James W. Irvine has been read by his wife Bella and is recorded and produced by the Soond o' Shetland project. You can now borrow it from the Library on tape or CD - the book is not available for sale.

Saturday 5th March 2011was World Book Night. We borrowed the theme 'My Life in Books' from the new BBC2 programme of that name, and 10 local guests read from the books that have been most important in their lives. Kate Sidra Ali baked a special cake for the occasion, decorated with the book covers from the World Book Night 'giveaway' books. Read the full list of speakers and their chosen books.

Shetland-based author Joy Perino launched her first novel, It Comes at the Library on Monday 24th January 2011. The event took place on the Library mezzanine, which proved a little bit tight for the large audience who came along. So it was standing room only, but the readings, refreshments and music were greatly appreciated. Many thanks to Joy and to the wonderful Taize singers who performed. Listen to a clip of the singing here

Two crime authors dominated the fiction borrowed from Shetland Library during 2010. The most-borrowed book was Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves, closely followed by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Top of the children’s fiction was a local book – The Grumpy Old Sailor by Janice Armstrong and Meilo So. In the Shetland book section itself, the most-borrowed book was Laurence Tulloch’s On the Rocks: A Lightkeeper’s Tale. View the full list of most borrowed books