Archives: Events

The film club presents a film in English once a month on a Saturday afternoon.

This showing will be of Mansfield Park, a 1999 British romantic comedy-drama film based on Jane Austen’s 1814 novel of the same name, written and directed by Patricia Rozema.

Fanny (Frances O’Connor), born into a poor family, is sent away to live with wealthy uncle Sir Thomas (Harold Pinter), his wife (Lindsay Duncan) and their four children, where she’ll be brought up for a proper introduction to society. She is treated unfavorably by her relatives, except for her cousin Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller), whom she grows fond of. However, Fanny’s life is thrown into disarray with the arrival of worldly Mary Crawford (Embeth Davidtz) and her brother Henry (Alessandro Nivola).

Watch the trailer here.

Screening begins at 3 o’clock sharp and will be followed by a discussion in English. This activity is free and open to all library members.  

The Saturday Reading Group is for anyone who loves to read, socialize in English, and meet new people. For this meeting, the group will read “Skios” by Michael Frayn.

On the sunlit Greek island of Skios, the Fred Toppler Foundation’s annual lecture is to be given by Dr Norman Wilfred, the world-famous authority on the scientific organisation of science. He turns out to be surprisingly young and charming — not at all the intimidating figure they had been expecting. The Foundation’s guests are soon eating out of his hand. So, even sooner, is Nikki, the attractive and efficient organiser.

Meanwhile, in a remote villa at the other end of the island, Nikki’s old school-friend Georgie waits for the notorious chancer she has rashly agreed to go on holiday with, and who has only too characteristically failed to turn up. Trapped in the villa with her, by an unfortunate chain of misadventure, is a balding old gent called Dr Norman Wilfred, who has lost his whereabouts, his luggage, his temper and increasingly all normal sense of reality — everything he possesses apart from the flyblown text of a well-travelled lecture on the scientific organisation of science…

Meetings are once a month on Saturday afternoons starting at 3 pm. Open to all library members. To sign up please contact the group coordinator at bookgroup@ellia.org.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Anglofams – an international community designed to connect English-speaking families with kids of all ages in the area.

We are a diverse group of families who understand the unique experiences of raising bilingual children.  Parents can share stories and resources, seek advice, and provide a casual, social environment for their children to be exposed to English outside of the home.

For our first-ever event, we’ll be hosting a children’s book exchange at the library.

Bring your children and a gently used book (in English) from your personal collection to exchange with another family.

Light refreshments and snacks will be available, as well as activities and games to keep kids entertained.

This event is free and open to all library members.

To sign up, please e-mail the group leaders here. We kindly ask that you RSVP by November 16th.

The November read for the book club is “The English Teacher” by J K Narayan.

“As an English teacher and lecturer at Albert Mission College, Krishna has led a mundane and monotonous lifestyle comparable to that of a cow. But he also plays an important role in protecting Indian culture. His life changes when his wife, Susila, and their child, Leela, come to live with him.”     

To join the book club please send an email to the group coordinator here.

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.

Knit and Natter is a free activity, open to all library members. No need to reserve, just come and enjoy! If anyone has some extra yarn please bring it in.

Join the library community for a special moment to talk about anything and everything (in English of course!). Just come in and chat with others, have a cuppa and enjoy the company! Coffee House is free and open to all library members. No need to reserve! Donations welcome as always!

The library is an authorised test center for the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test (the Test of English for International Communication). For more information please visit our TOEIC page or to sign up go to the official ETS website.

Welcome to “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. Keenan Brown, 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.

Workshops will be run Wednesday evenings from 6pm to 8pm at the library once a month. They are free for library members (maximum of 10 participants). For more information and/or to sign up, please contact the group leader.

Do you love French food and restaurants? Would you like to speak English more, but in a relaxed environment? Join the Luncheon Club! Enjoy a meal and great conversation in English once a month at a local restaurant. This activity is open to library members. Spaces are limited. For more information or to sign up, please contact the group coordinator here.