Reading Ambassadors blog:

Five librarians had a fantastic visit to Southampton City Library this week as part of Non-Fiction November! It was an exciting opportunity to learn more about the library, the city, and all the fascinating facts hidden within its shelves.

Our adventure began with a look around the Civic Centre, an important building right at the heart of Southampton. We discovered that it’s home to many different parts of the city’s life and culture. The Mayor’s office is there, where important decisions and ceremonies take place. The building also hosts concerts and performances, filling its halls with music and creativity. And, of course, the art gallery, which is full of incredible paintings and sculptures that inspire people of all ages.

Inside the library, we explored how books are organised – especially non-fiction books, which are full of real-life facts and information. We found out that the library uses the Dewey Decimal System, a clever way of sorting non-fiction books into numbered sections based on their topics. From animals and art to space and science, there’s a number for everything!

We then spent some time looking at books in the main library before being treated to something very special - a visit to the School Library Service room, a space that’s not open to the public. We were incredibly lucky to go inside and even got to choose some books for our own library! Of course, because it’s Non-Fiction November, we picked lots of non-fiction books to help everyone keep learning and exploring new facts.

Before we left, we also took a look at some maps. Did you know the library holds maps and other important records about Southampton’s history? It was fascinating to see how much information the library has to help people learn about the past and the place we live.

The visit reminded us how exciting it can be to discover new things, and how libraries are full of knowledge just waiting to be explored. Non-Fiction November is the perfect time to pick up a book, explore a new subject, and be curious about the world around us.