Activities for Adults

The English-language Library in Angers offers a range of interesting and fun activities for adults from September to June!  Most activities are not held during school holidays. If you need more information on our activities, do not hesitate to stop by the library or to contact the front desk at info@ellia.org or 02.41.24.97.07. We will be more than happy to welcome you and to answer your questions!

BOOK CLUB

The Book Club meets once a month to discuss a book, preselected by its members.

When and where: Meetings are held at the library on a Friday afternoon from 2:30 to 4 p.m. from September to June.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: If you are an avid reader in English and you are interested in expressing your views after reading the choice of the month, please contact the group leader.

BOOKS AND TEA

Books and Tea is a monthly meeting for bookworms. Bring a book you’ve really enjoyed, talk about it and then pass it on!

When and where: Meetings are once a month on a Thursday afternoon from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. at “La Cour” 23 rue de la Roe 49000 Angers. Please consult the events calendar for dates.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: No need to sign up, just come and enjoy!

BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby)

Are you a new mom or dad and looking to meet other English-speaking parents in the area? The BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby) group is a way for families with young children to connect and chat about anything and everything related to the journey into parenthood. This group is for English-speaking parents with a baby (or babies!) under 3 years old. Bilingual and multilingual families are welcome, too.

When are where: The BYOB group will meet one Saturday a month from 4:15-5:15pm in the Kids Corner of the library. The dates will be listed on the events calendar. Be sure to bring your little one(s) along!

Cost: Free for library members.

To join: For more information or to sign up, please contact the group leader.

BUDDY SYSTEM

The buddy system is a way to connect newcomers and locals of the area. New to our area? Contact the library and we will buddy you up with a volunteer who can answer your questions! Want to be a volunteer to help newcomers through the ropes? Come sign up! The library will play the middle-man!

When and where: Buddies will choose their meeting place and time, but the library invites you to come in and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while you chat.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: Please sign up at the front desk.

COFFEE HOUSE

What better way to get a head start on a relaxing weekend with a Friday morning steaming hot cup of coffee or tea at the library? Meet people from many horizons and chat informally about various subjects in English.

When and where: Coffee and tea are served every Friday morning at the library from 9 to 11 a.m.  This activity takes place from September to June, except during school holidays.

Cost: Free to all library members. Contributions are welcome!

To join: Just drop in, no need to reserve!

CONVERSATION GROUPS IN ENGLISH

Weekly conversation groups in English, facilitated by a native English speaker, to discuss various subjects. Groups have a maximum of 12 participants.

When and where: Sessions are held at the English-language Library from September to June, except during school holidays.

Cost: 160 € for the year. The cost is prorated depending on the time you register so please contact the front desk to find out which rate will apply to you.

Payment methods:  You may pay by cash, by check made out to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers or by making an online secure payment by clicking here. 

To join: Please sign up at the front desk, mail your registration form and check, or register online (click here). You must be a library member.

CONVERSATION GROUP IN FRENCH

Are you an English speaker and would like to improve your French? The library offers a weekly conversation group in French facilitated by a native French speaker.

When and where: Every Friday from 11 to 12 a.m. at the library. This activity takes place from October to June of each year, except during school holidays.

Cost: 60 € for the year for an individual; 90 € for a couple. Registration to the activity is possible up to May. The cost is prorated depending on the time you register so please contact the front desk to find out which rate will apply to you.

Payment methods: You may pay by cash, by check made out to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers or by making a secure payment by clicking here. 

To join: Please sign up at the front desk or register online (click here). You must be a library member.

ENGLISH IN ACTION

English in Action is a 6-hour program that matches a non-English speaker with an English speaker for one-to-one conversational English. This program is available to anyone over 18 years old.

When and where: The first session is held at the library to introduce the volunteer to the participant. The following sessions can take place at the library or outside of the library. The two speaking partners schedule them together based on their availability.

Cost: 90 € for 6 hours to be paid at the first session at the library.

Payment methods: You may pay by cash, by check made out to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers or by making an online secure payment by clicking here. 

To join: You must be a library member and fill out the “English in Action” form.

FRENCH IN ACTION

French in Action is a 6-hour program that matches a non-French speaker with a French speaker for one-to-one conversational French. This program is available to anyone over 18 years old.

Where and when: The first session is held at the library to introduce the volunteer to the participant. The following sessions can take place at the library or outside of the library. The two speaking partners schedule them together based on their availability.

Cost: 90 € for 6 hours to be paid at the first session at the library.

Payment methods: You may pay by cash, by check made out to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers or by making an online secure payment by clicking here. 

To join: You must be a library member and fill out the “French in Action” form.

FILM CLUB

The Film Club offers monthly showings of films in English.

When and where: Meetings are held at the library once a month on a Saturday afternoon from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Please consult dates on the events calendar.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: Please sign up at the front desk when possible.

GARDEN CLUB

The Garden Club is made up of library members interested in gardening who want to visit gardens, both private and public. Members do not have to be active gardeners but should appreciate gardens. Visits can be in French or in English.

When and where: A schedule of visits is established at the beginning of the year. Visits are usually organized on Thursdays, once a month, in February, April, May, June, July, September and October. Visits are mostly in the Maine-et-Loire.

Cost: Free to all library members. Individuals are asked to pay their own admission fee if there is one.

To join: For more information, please contact the group leader.

JOB LISTING

The library offers a networking service to connect native English speakers looking for jobs with potential employers. If you are a library member and a native English speaker who would like to be on this e-mailing list, please send an email to phoebe@ellia.org.

If you are a potential employer seeking a native English speaker, please send the information about the job offer to phoebe@ellia.org and we will pass it along via our e-mailing list.

KNIT AND NATTER

Come along and bring your knitting,
Have a natter while you’re sitting,
Or learn to knit with wool provided,
Needles loaned and stitches guided.
Knitted garments are très chic
So be in vogue and start this week.

When and where: This activity takes place at the library on Friday mornings from 10 to 11 a.m., except during school holidays.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: No need to sign up, just come in and start knitting!

LUNCHEON CLUB

When and where: Love those French restaurants? Feel like you need to speak English more but in a relaxed atmosphere? Join this club which schedules a lunch in a great local restaurant on the second Tuesday of the month from 12:30 to 2:30 pm.

Cost: Open to library members.

To join: For more information or to sign up, please contact the group leader.

OUTREACH PROGRAM WITH PARTNER LIBRARIES

The library organizes activities and loans collections to libraries inside and outside of the Maine-et-Loire. Please go to our Outside the Library page to see the network of partner libraries.

PIZZA AND BOARD GAMES

When and where: The English-language Library organizes an evening of pizza and board games once a month on a Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

Cost: 7 € (covers pizza and non-alcoholic beverages); 5 € for native-English speakers and children under 13.

To join: Open to the public, no need to reserve just come and enjoy! Places are limited to 40 so make sure you make it!

READING SHAKESPEARE

Are you a Shakespeare fan? Treat yourself to a collective reading of his plays. This great activity for lovers of language and fans of the great with is organized by a native English speaker for a maximum of 10 participants.

When and where: This activity takes place on a Friday afternoon from 3 to 4:30 pm.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: Please send an email to the group leader.

SATURDAY READING GROUP

The Saturday Reading Group is for anyone who loves to read, socialize in English, and meet new people. A new book is chosen each month by members to read and discuss.

When and where: Meetings are held at the library once a month on Saturday afternoons from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: Please send an email to the group leader.

TEXTILE ARTS & CRAFTS

If you enjoy exploring all forms of textile and multimedia art, this activity is for you.

We experiment with many different techniques (embroidery, weaving, patchwork, quilting, collages…) and we take pleasure in sharing and exploring various types of work together.

Lately we have completed individual and shared projects which may be displayed.

No previous expertise required. Just come and join us!

When and where: Our next meetings will be on Thursdays 20 October, 17 November and 8 December from 2.30 to 4.30 pm at the library !

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: Sign up at the front desk.

TOEIC

The library is an authorized test center for the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test (Test of English for International Communication). If you have any questions please contact the library or consult our TOEIC page.

When and where: TOEIC testing takes place at ISTOM, an international agro-school in Angers. Tests are scheduled approximately once a month, typically on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday morning from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

How to sign up for the test: The library does not handle any issue related to registration and payment. Please go to the TOEIC official website to register and pay for the test. Click here to register or for more information visit their official website. You do not need to be a member of the library to take this test. An identity card with a photo is mandatory on the day of the test.

WALK AND TALK

When and where: Time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful hiking paths of the Maine-et-Loire! An easy walk is organized once a month, approximately 10 km (2 to 3 hours) in the afternoon. Maximum group is 20 so make sure to sign up!

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: Sign up by sending your name, email address and phone number (preferably cell phone) to the group leader who will email you the full details for the next walk.

WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW!

Writing and sharing : join this series of workshops for people who love to write in English and don’t mind sharing what they’ve written (although this sharing is not mandatory). We’ll explore different themes and genres, starting with poetry. Mathieu Huvelin, a library volunteer, will guide you through different ways to stimulate your writing, keep you inspired, all in the company of lovers of literature.

“You can make anything by writing” (C.S. Lewis). Following Lewis’s invitation, let’s explore the world at large, as well as your own secret gardens through words…while discovering the unknown realms of the writing of others.

When and where : workshops will be run Wednesday evenings from 6.30 to 9 pm at the library from mid-October to mid-June on a monthly basis

Sign up and cost : free for library members, sign up needed (maximum of 10 participants).

To join: For more information and/or to sign up, please contact the group leader.