A CLOSER look at one of the sites featured in TV's Time Team programme will be on offer during York's first learning festival, which starts tomorrow (Thursday).

Staff from the central library in York will be giving tours of St Leonard's Hospital next door as part of a behind-the-scenes look around their building.

The tours on Saturday morning take a look at how the huge hospital worked and how many people lived and worked there.

They will also take visitors to look at some of the oldest part of the library -including the basement where the ghost of a Monk was seen only last year - and its oldest items - including a haunted book which was seen to act mysteriously in the Yorkshire Museum.

The tour then takes visitors to its newest sections including Room 18, a brand new computer suite open to the public.

Annie Mauger, head of the library service, said: "This is a beautiful building but people don't often get to see behind the scenes."

The learning festival, organised by the Learning City York partnership, runs from tomorrow until Saturday and aims to show that learning goes on all over the place.

The central library will be home to an exhibition of work by parents involved in making "story sacks" in York schools to help children enjoy reading which will be open tomorrow afternoon and Saturday morning.

Other library events include computer taster courses at Acomb and Tang Hall libraries.

Frances Postlethwaite, special services librarian at Acomb, said Future Prospects, the training organisation, would be laying on short "taster" two-hour sessions aimed at giving people a quick introduction to the Internet tomorrow.

There would also be short courses in Word, Excel and Access computer software systems.

Tang Hall library will be hosting a similar Internet course.

It will also host ten-minute taster sessions in French and Spanish given by teachers from Burnholme Community College's adult education section.

On Friday there will be short courses running including First Aid for Parents, Crafts and Decorative Rubber Stamping and Learn how to look good and feel confident.

And on Saturday there will be information available about higher education courses.

It will also host an exhibition of photographs by Tang Hall local history group tomorrow.

* The library tours need to be booked in advance. All events are free. For times and details telephone the central library on 01904 655631, Tang Hall on 416429 or Acomb on 791135.

* Brochures are available from the Learning Information Shop in Piccadilly, Future Prospects in Swinegate or from libraries.