East End libraries ready to bust 1m barrier book lendings

PUBLIC libraries are on the way had a record one million book lendings in London’s East End this year, Town Hall estimates reveal. Now Tower Hamlets Council is planning its first-ever literary festival, focusing on life, crime and history

PUBLIC libraries are on the way had a record one million book lendings in London's East End this year, Town Hall estimates reveal today.

Now Tower Hamlets Council is planning its first-ever literary festival, focusing on life, crime and history.

Reading events take place in the libraries and Idea Store centres from December 4 to 12 where the public can meet authors, discuss books and listen to readings during the nine-day extravaganza.

A host of authors will share their works including BBC presenter and architectural historian Dan Cruickshank. He is at Whitechapel Idea Store on December 10 from 7.30 to 9pm talking about his new book The secret history of Georgian London: How Wages of Sin Shaped the Capital. Other authors in the series of public talks include Martin Knight, Manzu Islam, John Bennett, Tim Coates, John Harvey and Kia Abdullah.

Lending has increased in-line with improvements made to Idea Stores, library layouts and displays.

Tower Hamlets hit the 'one million mark' this year, breaking the East End's annual borrowing record.