Latest news with #FamilyLibrary
Jordan News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Jordan News
Jordan Summer Festival 2025 Continues Across Governorates - Jordan News
Cultural and artistic events continued on Friday as part of the fifth edition of the Jordan Summer Festival 2025, organized by the Ministry of Culture. Activities are taking place every Friday across the capital Amman and all Jordanian governorates and will run until the end of August. اضافة اعلان In Salt, events were held at Aqaba Bin Nafi Square in the city center, attended by official figures and a large audience. The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture, Nidal Al-Ayasrah, said the festival serves as a cultural, artistic, and touristic occasion. Held weekly, the festival is part of Jordan's cultural industries and provides a platform to showcase Jordanian artists and creators. He added that the event includes a book fair aimed at encouraging reading and making books accessible to all social segments. The fair is an extension of the Family Library initiative, with books sold at symbolic prices below cost. Festival activities include face painting, traditional bazaars, balloon shows, DJ sessions, children's entertainment, and musical concerts. Friday's lineup featured performances by artists Yasmin Ahmad and Basil Khreissat, alongside a folkloric dance by the Yaman Al-Khair Cultural Association troupe. In Zarqa, the second week of festivities launched at Prince Mohammad Stadium, while in Ajloun, events at Al-Hussein Youth Camp drew families into a joyful atmosphere. Director of Ajloun Culture, Samer Freihat, emphasized the festival's role in boosting cultural tourism and supporting home-based businesses, offering them space to showcase their products. In Jerash, activities at Al-Hashimiyah Square attracted both official and public participation. Cultural Director Dr. Aqla Al-Qadri noted that the events cater to families and individuals, featuring folkloric shows, art exhibitions, and local handicraft and food stalls in collaboration with charities and local producers. The evening concluded with drone shows that lit up the sky with images of Jerash's ancient landmarks, the Jordanian flag, and notable local tourist sites. Meanwhile, in Mafraq, festivities kicked off at Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein Stadium with strong community turnout. The evening included face painting, bazaars, balloon releases, and children's entertainment, as well as musical performances by Fadi Rafat and Samer Anwar, and a traditional dance by the Sawt Al-Urdon troupe. Attendees expressed their gratitude to organizers for offering diverse programming that appeals to all age groups, enabling families to enjoy memorable and meaningful cultural experiences. — Petra News Agency
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Options for Isle of Man Family Library future to be explored
Options for the future running of services at a community library under threat of closure over funding are set to be brought forward in directors of the Isle of Man's Family Library have said the facility will shut on 31 July due to expected annual losses of £100,000, as a result of rising costs and declining response, Tynwald members supported Treasury Minister Alex Allinson's proposal for the Council of Ministers to work with the directors to understand its financial situation, and explore options to save told politicians an urgent meeting with the library's directors had been scheduled for 30 June. Welcoming the move, a spokesman for the facility said he had been "encouraged by the growing recognition among local politicians of the library's value and the urgent need for a sustainable funding model".However, he said it would be "irresponsible for us to continue beyond 31 July without being able to guarantee the necessary funding to operate for the following 12 months".With government funding for the facility, which has being provided on a sliding scale since 2021, is set to end in of the community facility have backed volunteer group the Friends of the Family Library in its campaign to protect the services, which has raised about £6,000. Based on Westmoreland Road in Douglas, the Family Library offers activities to young people, schools and adults as well as operating a mobile library in rural areas and a home service for those who are service has been run as an independent charity since full funding was pulled by the Department of Education in 2011 in response to a reduction in the island's VAT income. 'Rare institution' At the June sitting of the Manx parliament, Joney Faragher MHK asked politicians to support taking "urgent steps to prevent the closure" and develop a "sustainable funding proposal to secure its long-term future".She described the the Family Library as "one of those rare institutions that prevents larger costlier social problems down the line", a sentiment that was supported by several other Kate Lord-Brennan MHK argued "definite questions" should be asked about how the service had been run, and said there was a danger of a "precedent being set" on government support for organisations that operated "on a charitable level".During the debate Lawrie Hooper MHK argued Allinson's amendment did not provide "any certainty that we are going to end up with something that solves the problem".But members ultimately supported the treasury minister's proposal for the Council of Ministers to work with the charity to consider available options, after getting an understanding its financial position.A library spokesman said "all aspects of our operation, from a financial and organisational perspective, are fully transparent and in the public domain".He said he hoped the information would aim politicians "to better understand" the charity's directors would support the process "in any way we can", he added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
14-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Isle of Man library facing closure 'a lifeline to families'
Regular visitors to a family library which is under threat of closure over future funding have said the service as "a lifeline" that they would be "devastated" to May, directors of the Isle of Man's Family Library said the facility would close on 31 July due to expected annual losses of £100,000 as a result of rising costs and declining online fundraiser set up by volunteer group The Friends of the Family Library in a bid to protect the service and its mobile library has raised more than £5, Michelle Lord, who supports the campaign, said the facility was "so more than just a library", adding: "It isn't just about the books, the team here foster growth in the kids." Since full funding was pulled by the then Department of Education in 2011, following a revision of the island VAT income, the services have been run as an independent library on Westmoreland Road in Douglas offers activities to young people, schools and adults, such as discos and funding set to end in 2026, and the education department has said it has "no plans" to provide further directors of the facilities have said unless a long-term funding solution can be secured, the facility will close its doors next month as they could not "guarantee" it would have the funds to operate for the next 12 months. Ms Lord, from Douglas, who takes her children to the service three times each week said it was "a really special place", which was "always inclusive and welcoming".She said: "Life can be overwhelming, but at the library we play, read and craft. It's somewhere we reconnect, we leave in such a better space as a family.""I think we're going to lose a massive support system for so many people across the island if it disappears." Laura Parry, who visits every Friday, said if the library were to close it would "leave a big gap in our lives"."My mum brought me and my brother when I was a kid, and I've brought my two boys," she said."The kids can be free, play, enjoy the books, and there's no expectation to spend any money which is so rare.""Both the parents and children take a lot away from the group activities, I don't think there's anything that compares to it on the Isle of Man." As well as the Douglas facility, the charity also operates a mobile library in rural areas, with a home service available for those who are Dovey, from Andreas, has been using the mobile service fortnightly for 15 said: "Living in the middle of nowhere, I can go for a week and not talk to anyone, other than perhaps on the phone.""The volunteers know the people who borrow books, and what they might like to read, as well as what is happening in their lives"."It isn't just a library, it's a point of contact which is an absolute lifeline for people like me."I would be bereft without it." Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
'Long-term fix' needed to stop Isle of Man Family Library closure
A "fix for multiple years" would be needed to save a family library and its mobile services is threat of closure over future funding, its director has Isle of Man's Family Library is set to close on 31 July after rising operational costs set against declining income left the service losing £100,000 a year. Director Kurt Roosen said the facility was not currently "distressed or disorganised" but could not "guarantee" it would have the funds to operate for the next 12 months."We've got to be sensible, honest and forthcoming. I wouldn't want to be in a position where I couldn't pay a bill," he said. The charity runs a library on Westmoreland Road in Douglas offering activities to young people, schools and adults, as well as operating a mobile library in rural areas and a home service for those who are services have been run as an independent charity since full funding was pulled by the Department of Education in 2011 in response to a reduction in the island's VAT 2022, the government agreed to a five-year funding plan on a sliding scale beginning with £125,000 in August of that year, with the final sum of £65,000 due to be awarded in August 2026. Mr Roosen said those behind the libraries had "got to the point where we've almost tried everything" to create a sustainable funding said the service had been run in the "most efficient way that we can" but costs such as heating and electricity had increased at the same time as donations were reducing."From an operational perspective it would be irresponsible of us to continue if we weren't certain about our future", the director said."We have all sorts of obligations, I don't want to be saying to the staff we can't pay you this month." Mr Roosen said he would "love to see a solution" but it would need to be "something that isn't a fix for one year" but "a fix for multiple years going forward".If the service were to close it would "leave a hole" as the services had been "fulfilling a need", he said."But clearly someone has got to fund that," he urgent question on about discussion between the Family Library and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture is set to be answered during the May sitting of Tynwald on Tuesday. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
