Activities for adults

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

ANGLOFAMS

Anglofams is an international community designed to connect English-speaking families with kids of all ages in the area. Join a diverse group of families who understand the unique experiences of raising bilingual children.  Share stories and resources, seek advice, and let your kids connect with other bilingual kids in a fun, social environment.

When and where:  Four family-friendly activities are planned throughout the year, at various locations in and around Angers.

CostAnglofams is open to all library members. Meetings at the library and in public spaces are free.  Families will be asked to bring their own food for picnics & BBQs.  For any meetings at private venues, families are asked to cover their own cost of entrance.

To sign up: Contact the group leaders Hannah and Hilary here for the event calendar and to sign up.

BOOK CLUB

The Book Club meets once a month to discuss a book which will have been selected by the members of the book club.

When and where : Meetings take place at the library on Fridays from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. from September to June.

Cost: Free for library members.

To join : The Book Club is full for the 2024-2025 year.  If you would like to join the waiting list, please send an e-mail to reception. We also invite you to consider joining Books and Tea or Saturday Reading Group!

BOOKS AND TEA

Books and Tea is a monthly activity for bookworms. Bring a book that you read and loved, introduce it to others, and then exchange books.

When and where : One Thursday per month from 2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at  La P’tite Cigogne, 23 rue du Musée in Angers.  See “Upcoming Events” for more information.

Cost : Free for library members.

To join : No need to register in advance.  Just show up!

BRIDGE CLUB

Discover, learn and play Mini Bridge in a relaxed, casual and informal ambiance. Mini Bridge, as developed by MBES allows and encourages

  • conversations while playing the game,
  • comments and remarks before, during and after the game,
  • second thoughts,
  • not taking oneself too seriously,

…in a nutshell, MBES (Mini Bridge Exclusive Society) proposes a different concept from the competing conventional Bridge Clubs.

When and where : The Bridge Club typically meets two Wednesdays per month at the library from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm.

Cost : Free and open to library members.

To join :Please contact the library to join!

COFFEE HOUSE

Here’s a great way to jumpstart the weekend by coming in to chat while enjoying a hot cup of coffee or tea at the library!

When and where : Every Friday morning from September to June (excluding school holidays) you are invited to come in and chat in English about everything and nothing, all while sipping a cup of coffee or tea from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Cost : Free for library members, but we do accept donations towards coffee/tea costs.

To join : No need to register.  Just show up!

ENGLISH CONVERSATION GROUP

These groups, limited to 12 participants, allow those who want to improve/maintain their oral English to speak about various subjects proposed by the English-speaking facilitator.

When and where : Weekly sessions take place at the library from September to June (excluding school holidays).  Contact reception for more details on days and times available.

Cost : The price is 160€ per person per year, in addition to the cost of library membership.

Payment methods : You can pay by cash, bank card, check made payable to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers.

To join : You can register by contacting reception with your registration form and mode of payment. Reminder that you must be a member of the library.

FRENCH CONVERSATION GROUP

We also offer foreigners who have recently arrived in the region a French conversation group to allow them to practice their French and feel more comfortable speaking.

When and where :This activity takes place at the library on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. from September to June (excluding school holidays).

Cost : The price is 60€ per person or 90€ for a couple, in addition to a library membership.

Payment methods : You can pay by cash, bank card, check made payable to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers.

To join : You can register by contacting the reception.

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: 100 € for 6 hours to be paid at the first session at the library.

Payment methods: You may pay by cash, bank card, check made out to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers.

To join: You must be a library member and fill out the “English in Action” form.  You can then send your request to hannah@ellia.org.

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: 100 € for 6 hours to be paid at the first session at the library.

Payment methods: You may pay by cash, bank card, check made out to Bibliothèque Anglophone d’Angers.

To join: You must be a library member and fill out the “French in Action” form. You can then send your request to hannah@ellia.org.

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 6:00 p.m. Please consult dates on the events calendar.

Cost: Free to all library members.

To join: No prior reservation necessary.

GARDEN CLUB

The Garden Club allows you to discover private or public gardens around Angers. This activity is for library members who love gardens, whether they are experienced gardeners or not. Guided visits are done in English and in French.

When and where : The visits take place on Thursday afternoons once a month from February to October according to a predefined schedule.

Cost: Open to library members, but everyone will have to pay their entry fee to the gardens visited.

To join : For more information, please contact the Club President.

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 mandy@ellia.org.

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

KNIT AND NATTER

When and where: Friday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (except school holidays).

Cost: Free for library members.

To join : No prior reservation necessary. Whether you are a beginner or experienced, join us!

LUNCHEON CLUB

Do you want to practice English in a casual, friendly environment? The Luncheon Club is for you!

When and where : The Luncheon Club meets once at a small restaurant in the Angers area.

Cost : Open to all library members.  Everyone pays for the cost of their own meal.

To join : For more information and to sign up, please contact the Club President.

OUTREACH PROGRAM WITH PARTNER LIBRARIES

The English-language Library in Angers organizes activities and lends documents to libraries in the Maine-et-Loire department, or neighboring ones.

Please refer to the tab “Outside the Library” to view affiliated libraries.

PIZZA AND BOARD GAMES

When and where: The English-language Library organizes an evening of pizza and board games four times per year on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m.

Cost: 10€ (covers pizza and non-alcoholic beverages)

To join: Open to the public, no need to reserve just come and enjoy!

READING SHAKESPEARE

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

When and where: This activity takes place on Friday afternoons from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

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, dyeing techniques…) and we take pleasure in sharing and exploring various types of work together.

Some of our shared projects are displayed at the library. This year we intend to go further into the artistic side of creation.

No previous expertise required. Just come and join us!

When and where: One Thursday afternoon a month at the library, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Cost: Free for all library members.

To join: Please contact reception.

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 library member 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: Take part in a series of workshops for those who enjoy writing in English and want to share what they have written (although sharing is not required). Different genres and themes will be covered this year, starting with poetry. We will guide you to stimulate your writing and draw on your inspiration in the company of other literature lovers.

“You can do anything by writing” (C.S. Lewis). Following Lewis’ invitation, let’s explore the world, and our secret gardens, through words… while discovering the unknown realms of other people’s writing.

When and where : sessions once a month at the library, Wednesday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., from October to June.

Cost: Free for library members.

To join : Registration required (maximum 10 participants). For more information and/or to register, contact the group leader.