National Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime took place in libraries and schools across Australia on Wednesday 23rd May.  This year and amazing 380,000 children at 2,400 locations across Australia joined in and enjoyed the same book at the same time to help promote reading and literacy. This year's book was Nick Bland's The Very Cranky Bear which is a heart-warming tale about friendship, sacrifice and learning that appearances aren't important.

Both Mandurah Library and Falcon eLibrary and Community Centre took part.  Pictured above is the special guest reader at Falcon eLibrary and Community Centre who is well-known to local children as her alter-ego the face-painter extraordinaire "Fairy Karen".  The reading was followed by a craft activity where the children made Cranky Bear masks.

Mandurah Libraries also visited Dudley Park Primary School along with Mandurah MLA David Templeman.  Two pre-primary classes enjoyed Mr Templeman's very exciting reading of the story.  There was much roaring!  The children then took away bear masks and information packs about Mandurah Libraries.

National Simultaneous Storytime is held in May every year and is organised by the Australian Library and Information Association.  A few months before each year's event the book choice is announced and links to excellent resources are posted on the National Simultaneous Storytime page of the ALIA's website to enable schools, playgroups, childcare centres and libraries to join in.

Library and Information Week - Think Outside the Book

Sunday 20 May to Saturday 26 May – is Library and Information Week. This year’s theme is Think Outside the Book

Throughout the week Mandurah Libraries will be running a program of great events and all of them are free! Bookings are required and spaces are limited.

There are events for Mums.

There are events for kids at Mandurah Library,

and at Falcon eLibrary and Community Centre.

We look forward to seeing you during the week as we think outside the book.

A great weekend at Stretch Festival

We had a fabulous weekend at Mandurah's Stretch Festival helping children and their families create their own books at the Books-To-Go book cubby.  Library staff and volunteers had a lovely time running the event and we enjoyed receiving very positive feedback from the public.

Children of all ages visited this activity and a total of 130 books were made over the weekend.  Some of the books contain illustrations only, some are mini picture books and some are like little novels.

The book cubby itself was a very popular place for children to relax and enjoy the books made by other children. 

Many thanks to the wonderful volunteers and staff who worked on this activity. 

A very special thanks to the State Library of Western Australia for supporting the City of Mandurah to run the Books-To-Go event.  We highly recommend this activity to other libraries wanting to run a creative and fun literacy event.  Details about Better Beginnings Books-To-Go can be found here.

Books-To-Go at Stretch Festival

This weekend Mandurah's 11th annual Stretch Festival will be underway offering a huge variety of exciting and creative experiences.  There will be exhibitions, performances, markets, competitions, workshops and many other fun activities.  Stretch Festival is a highlight of Mandurah's year with so much on offer for people of all ages to enjoy. 

See this page for more information about Stretch Festival or download the whole program here.  

As part of Stretch Festival and our celebrations of the National Year of Reading, Mandurah Libraries are delighted to be running a free activity where children can write, create and publish their own book. 

You are invited to visit the

Books-To-Go book cubby

on

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th May

(anytime between 10.30am-4pm each day)

in the foyer of

the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre

to write, create and publish your very own book!

Using one A3 piece of paper and a few simple folds, children can create their own book without having to stick or staple.  The books are published on the spot using a colour photocopier. The author gets to keep their original, and a copy travels in the Book Cubby to other communities for other children to read, enjoy and be inspired by.

We had a great time learning the book creation technique at a workshop last weekend.  The technique is very simple yet effective and it is suitable for use in other situations such as schools, libraries, childcare facilities, art classes and holiday programs.  You are most welcome to visit the cubby to learn the book creation technique.

This event is supported by the State Library of Western Australia as part of their Better Beginnings program.  Pictured at the very top are Shelby-Rae and Jessie-Lee who visited the book cubby when the State Library of Western Australia presented it at the Awesome Festival in Perth last year.

Read and Release books

As part of our celebrations of the National Year of Reading 2012, Mandurah Libraries are releasing hundreds of "Read and Release" books throughout the year.

These books are for you to take away and enjoy.  When you have finished with the Read and Release book, release it to a friend, a neighbour or leave it on a train or park bench for someone else to read.  These books are labelled inside the front cover like the one below.

We will be setting up several Read and Release drop-off points around Mandurah but this week you have two extra opportunities to pick one up.

-  Wednesday 2nd May, 7-9pm at Cafe Pronto
   during this month's meeting of The First Wednesday Book Club (all welcome), and

-  Saturday May 5th and Sunday May 6th, between 10.30am-4pm each day
   near the Books-To-Go book cubby in the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre foyer
   during Mandurah's 11th Annual Stretch Festival.

Look out for the sign below then help yourself to a book and enjoy.

If you'd like to let us know where you have released a Read and Release book, send us an email with "Read and Release" in the subject line to manlib@mandurah.wa.gov.au