MONDAY: 12.30pm – official opening and ribbon-cutting; 1.15pm – children’s author Hilary Robinson (invited groups only); 5.30pm – Susan Vickerman, reading from her novel Special Needs.

TUESDAY: 10am to 3pm – Stomp and Air Rockets, by Space Connections. All welcome; 5.45pm – Talk by David Wilson entitled Bradford in Film.

To make a booking, email christine.dyson@bradford.gov.uk or ring (01274) 433665.

WEDNESDAY: 9.45am – Pip the Poet, a Christmas poems workshop for children (invited schools only); 11am – Kate Stanley, with a talk and information on renewable energy. All welcome; 2pm Poetry Reading Group. All welcome.

THURSDAY: 9.30am – Melvin Burgess, writer of young adult fiction (invited schools only); 2pm to 4pm – technology drop-in session. All welcome; 5pm – Chris Lackey’s graphic novel workshop for ages 14 upwards. To book a place e-mail dionne.hood@bradford.gov.uk or ring (01535) 618211.

FRIDAY: 10am to 12noon – Bradford College, a special effects make-up demonstration. All welcome; 10.45am to 11.45am – Costumed storytelling session with Kathryn Hughes entitled 'Bradford poisonings of 1858 and other strange happenings’, followed by a tour of the library. Repeated at 1.15pm (invited schools only); 3pm – book signing and reading from David Barnett, the author of Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl. All welcome.

SATURDAY: 11am – storytime and craft session. All welcome; 11.30am to 1pm – close-up magic by Bradford Magic Circle. All welcome; 1pm - Bradford Festival Choir; 2pm – Cartoonist Matt Dyson with a Christmas character-drawing family session. All welcome.