Library Takeover : Apples and Snakes

BREIS performs wearing glasses and a wide-brimmed hat speaks into a microphone with expressive hand gestures, captured in black and white.

Library Takeover is a 5 week programme for 12 – 15 year olds to boldly take over their local library with a poetry and spoken word event they creatively produce with rap artist & author BREIS and library staff!

It runs form 29 July – 30 August 2025 at Wembley Library, Brent

About Library Takeover

This creative programme involves young people working with rap artist & author BREIS and library staff to support the delivery of the Summer Fun Festival (SFF) for children aged 4 – 11 during the school summer holidays. By the end of Library Takeover, the young people will have produced a celebration event on Saturday 30 August featuring artists and poets in recognition of children’s reading achievements.

When and where

The programme runs for 5 weeks from 29 July – 30 August. Young people (aged 12 – 15 years) will commit to 5 – 7.5 hours a week in total by working with and meeting the artist at Wembley Library.

Schedule

Weeks 1 & 2 will consist of 3 x 2.5 hour sessions per week. Weeks 3, 4 & 5 will consist of 2 x 2.5 hour sessions per week and exclude the celebration event on 30 August. Schedule will be shared with registrants.

What will you do?

Young people will work with an established artist and library staff to:

Recruit children to join the SFF, select books and support their reading
Create marketing materials and distributing them
Plan and deliver story & craft workshops
Design eye-catching library displays and shelving stock
Collect data for evaluation
Meet with creatives and professionals working across Brent Libraries, local organisations and charities
Create and deliver a SFF celebration event for Saturday 30 August

Two people perform a playful scene in a brightly lit library setting. On the left, a person in a checkered shirt holds up a handmade mask featuring a cartoonish, wide-eyed, shocked face with tear shapes and horns. Their other hand is raised mid-gesture. On the right, another person is fully draped in a dark cloth decorated with large purple paper stars, appearing like a costumed character. Colorful paper props, including a cut-out house, are visible in the background. The setting suggests a children's storytelling or drama activity.

Benefits

A joyful young woman wearing a maroon headscarf smiles broadly while holding a “Library Takeover” certificate of recognition. She is surrounded by four adults who are also smiling and celebrating the moment. One man, wearing a floral shirt, holds a microphone. Another, wearing a ceremonial mayoral chain, stands beside him. A woman in a green patterned dress with a lanyard and two colorful tote bags stands to the right of the awardee. On the far right, a man in a blue suit jacket smiles warmly. They appear to be at an indoor event, likely a celebration or award ceremony.

Work experience includes customer service skills, working with children, project management skills, event management, knowledge of stock and basic marketing.

This experience is great for job, apprenticeship and university applications. Participants will receive a completion certificate.

Register by contacting [email protected].

Photos from Library Takeover 2022 credited to Suzi Corker. Headshot of BREIS credited to Gemini photography.
Presented in partnership by Apples and Snakes and Brent Libraries. Supported by John Lyon’s Charity.