Helping to celebrate International School Library month

Well, this is another busy school term in Zimbabwe and an opportunity to see how storytelling can fit in at the library.

One hopeful new development is that I have been invited to a workshop to talk to school librarians from Mashonaland about what we are doing at the library. This should be fun and a chance to share experiences and ideas. I hope it results in some synergies between school and public library spaces. I think this is critical.

For reading at HCL, we have decided on just 3 friday afternoons at Mount Pleasant to tell a tale or two. No idea if this will work out, the branch staff feel Friday is a good day for this so we are testing it out. We have sent a notification to a few schools around the library and some small paper bookmarks to give to children who come in to change their books. There is also a notice up at the library. It is all food for thought and helps in the planning for next year. Thursday reading at the Main Library has also been put on hold until after the exams.

However, I am beginning to think that Fridays only work in Term 1 (January to March). I am also thinking we might need to fit in over school holidays in December, April and August. My head tells me one Saturday a month for 2013, with different themes and maybe different age groups. Anyhoo....Here are the dates for reading at Mount Pleasant Branch. Come along if you can.

Date (put it in your diary!)	The Feature Story
Friday 26th October From 2pm to 3pm	Aesop’s Fables & Tales from Africa
Friday 9th November From 2pm to 3pm	The Jays New Feathers & Other stories
Friday 30th November From 2pm to 3pm	Around the World with Possum Magic