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Special events
Heads and Tails: interactive storytelling performance
Saturday 31 January. Performance one at 10am and performance two at 11.30am.
Get ready for another wild storytelling adventure!
dives into the folklore and fables of Southern African cultures, bursting with fun, laughter, and unforgettable adventures. Whether you are roaring like a lion or stretching tall like a giraffe, this is storytelling like you have never experienced before!
To celebrate , ßÙßÇÂþ» Libraries proudly welcomes back professional storytellers and for a spectacular return. They will bring African animal tales to life with high-energy performances, audience interaction, and plenty of surprises along the way.
Join us for an enchanting journey into African animal tales, brought to life with lively audience participation and interactive fun! Don’t miss this magical storytelling experience.
Booking is essential so book now to avoid missing out. Tickets price is donation based (minimum suggested is £2 per person attending).
Half term
To celebrate the National Year of Reading our theme this February half term is “Fairy Tales”.
During our regular opening hours, you can:
- Complete our Fairy Tales themed treasure hunt
- Add to our Fairy Tale board-scape!
- Have fun with our Fairy Tale themed colouring in and quizzes
LEGO Club
Saturday 14 February, from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
Come along to immerse yourselves in our collection of LEGO and get creative! Perhaps you will build a fairy tale landscape?
Suitable for ages 6+
No need to book, just turn up
Cost: £1 per child
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation: Rowdy Rhinos
Tuesday 17 February, from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
Come along to our creative workshop to find out about endangered animals with the support of the .
Disaster! The trophy for the Rhino Cup has broken. The Rhino cup is a community football tournament in Namibia. Find out more about rhinos and why conservationists support football matches and then design and make a model rhino from special ‘air-dry’ clay to fix it. Younger children will need more support.
Suitable for ages 5 to 10. Children must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the session.
Cost: £2.50 per child payable on booking (to cover cost of the clay). One ticket for each child taking part.
Book at the Help Desk in Horley Library or email horleylibraryevents@surreycc.gov.uk leaving your name, your child’s name and a contact telephone number so we can call you to take payment of £2.50 per child.
If you are unable to attend, please cancel your booking so the ticket can be released for someone else.
Fairy tale doodles drawing workshop: learn to create Zentangle art
Wednesday 18 February, from 3pm to 4pm.
Come along and get involved in some fairy tale doodles and learn to create Zentangle art. Choose between ‘The Princess and the Pea’ or a fairytale forest/landscape.
Zentangle art uses simple strokes like dots, lines, and curves on small paper squares – an unplanned doodle process that encourages focus and creativity, leading to a sense of calm and well-being.
Suitable for ages 7 to 11.
No need to book, just turn up.
Cost: £1 per child.
Fairy tale craft: Make a bear
Thursday 19 February, from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.
Inspired by the fairy tale ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, this fun craft session is all about making your very own bear!
Suitable for ages 4+.
No need to book, just turn up.
Cost: £1 per child.
Explore Learning: A Knight’s Journey English Workshop
Friday 20 February, from 10.30am to 11.30am.
This workshop is based around punctuation, grammar and spelling within writing. 25% of children struggle with grammar in their first 3 years of primary school. All Knights go through many quests and this journey to the king’s throne is no different. We travel back to medieval times and children will joust their way through many grammar tournaments.
is a maths and English tuition provider that is trusted by parents, loved by kids and boasts 20 years of success.
Workshop suitable for ages 7 to 9.
Workshop is free but booking necessary, one ticket for every child taking part. g details
Explore Learning: The King’s Throne English Workshop
Friday 20 February, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.
This workshop is based around punctuation, grammar and spelling within writing. Grammar continues to be the biggest area of difficulty for children from year 3 through to year 9. All Knights go through many quests and this journey to the King’s throne is no different. We travel back to medieval times and children will joust their way through many grammar tournaments. Explore Learning is a maths and English tuition provider that is trusted by parents, loved by kids and boasts 20 years of success.
Workshop suitable for ages 9 to 11.
Workshop is free but booking necessary, one ticket for every child taking part.
Family Storytime and Rhymetime
Saturday 21 February, from 10am to 10.30am.
We are so excited to be running a Special Family Story Time and Rhymetime. In particular, we would like to invite anyone unable to attend our weekday Rhymetime to come along and enjoy a sing-along with the little ones in your life: dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles - all the family are welcome! And as it’s National Year of Reading we will be starting the session with a couple of stories.
Suitable for under-5s.
Tickets are available on the day on a first come, first served basis from when we open at 9:30am. Maximum of 15 tickets - 3 people per ticket.
Event free.
Pebble rhymetime and storytime
Pebble rhymetime
- Every Thursday, two sessions from
- 10am until 10.30am
- 11am until 11.30am
Spaces are limited. Tickets are available from the library desk on the day, one ticket per family group. Tickets allocated on a first come first served basis. Please come early to avoid disappointment.
Find out more about Pebble rhymetimes in ßÙßÇÂþ» libraries.
Sensory rhymetime
A fun rhymetime for Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) families with a focus on autism.
Saturdays, from 10.30am to 11am. Suitable for ages 0 to 6 years.
Free event.
Upcoming dates:
- 7 February
- 7 March
- 4 April
- 2 May
- 30 May
- 27 June
- 25 July
- 22 August
- 19 September
- 17 October
- 14 November
- 12 December
A designated room with low lighting, sensory toys and a separate "quiet" room next door.
Booking information
You need to book a place for each session.
If you are coming as a lone parent, you can bring up to 2 children. If your child needs extra support to stay safe and take part, it may help to bring just 1 child at first.
Parents from the same family can bring one child each.
To book you can:
- Visit: ask at the help desk in the library
- Email: horleylibraryevents@surreycc.gov.uk
- Phone: call 03456 009 009 (click option 7 and ask for Horley Library)
Please note: you can only book one session at a time, in date order. Now taking bookings for Saturday 7 February.
Storytime
Active storytime
Fridays in term time only, from 10.30am until 11am.
Active Storytime is a fun, interactive session aimed at pre-schoolers. We read a story, sing a song, and then do a couple of simple and fun activities (such as a game, a teddy bear hunt around the library, or a simple craft) on a different theme each week. Please wear clothes suitable for play/craft.
Suitable for ages 2 to 5.
No booking needed, just turn up!
Cost: £1 per child.
BookTrust storytime
Saturdays from 2.30pm to 3.30pm:
- 21 February
- 21 March
- 11 April
BookTrust Storytime is a free event aimed at under 5’s combining a traditional story time with lively activities related to the stories we will read. BookTrust Storytime takes place in our children’s section.
Reading groups
Horley library Tuesday reading group
Every third Tuesday of the month, from 2.30pm pm to 3.30pm.
If you are interested in joining the group, please ask at the library or by emailing horley.library@surreycc.gov.uk
Find out more about reading groups in ßÙßÇÂþ» libraries.
Horley library Wednesday reading group
Every second Wednesday of the month, from 2pm to 3pm
This group is now full and is currently not accepting new people.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Questioning Plus (LGBTQ+) Reading Friends
First Saturday of the month, from 2.30pm to 4pm.
ßÙßÇÂþ» Libraries, in partnership with The Reading Agency, will be hosting a monthly Reading Friends group at Horley Library for members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Questioning Plus (LGBTQ+) community to come together around a shared love of reading.
Run by LGBTQ+ members of staff, the groups will have discussions and recommendations on a different subject each month. They will always be confidential, supportive, and positive spaces.
You can express an interest in joining this group by completing our or by speaking to a member of staff in Horley Library.
Find out more about Reading Friends in ßÙßÇÂþ» Libraries.
Chatterbooks reading group
Horley Chatterbooks is a fun children’s reading group that meets once a month on a Saturday from 10am to 11am.
Suitable for children aged 7 to 11. The group reads a different book each month, and when we meet, we talk about the book and have fun with quizzes, games or crafts.
The group is currently full: to join our waiting list, please email horleylibraryevents@surreycc.gov.uk or ask at the library helpdesk.
Other events
Horley library local history centre
Horley Local History Centre is based in Horley Library, and you can use the local history centre resources at any time that the library is open.
Even better, visit us at the following time each week when volunteers are available to help you use the resources and equipment.
Saturday 10am to 12 noon. In the meantime should you have any history questions please contact jeanpelham@sky.com.
Contact the Library Service or use our online .
Board games club
Every Tuesday from 10.30am until 12 noon.
Join us in a welcoming and friendly environment to play a variety of board games, including Qwirkle, Mastermind, and Scrabble. Feel free to bring your own board or card game as well!
Open to all, free, just turn up.
English conversation group
Every Wednesday from 11am to 12 noon.
For adults with English as a second language.
Would you like to practice your spoken English with a relaxed and friendly group? Then come along and join us. The group will be led by friendly and supportive facilitators.
Free. No need to book.
Digital Support Volunteer
- Wednesdays (term time only) from 9.45am to 11.45am.
- Every Friday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Need some IT help? Come along and see our friendly and approachable Digital Support Volunteer.
Appointment slots can be booked at the library desk.
Please see our Digital Support Volunteer page for more information and to find out which other libraries currently offer a Digital Support Volunteer service.
If you would like to join our team as a Digital Support volunteer, you can find out more: Volunteering in libraries.