Library Workshop

The more opportunities I have to get involved in public libraries, the more I marvel at what a wonderful thing we have, and how lightly we value it. A good library, run by a caring librarian, is a magnificent thing. I was lucky enough to take a poetry workshop for children in my almost-local Tolworth Library.

Liss, the librarian there, had organised this event to celebrate World Poetry Day and drummed up interest with some of the library’s regulars. Now I’ve done these kind of events before – they can be hit and miss. Sometimes word hasn’t got out. Sometimes the kids are shy of speaking in a library. This time, thanks to Liss, was perfect!

I’d prepared a series of activity sheets, as well as colouring-in for any little ones who aren’t quite at reading stage, and the stories and poems these kids came up with absolutely blew me away! We had a story about a witch called Lilly with extraordinary powers, and some curious adventures of unicats and snowphins (which are snow leopards crossed with dolphins).

Watching children gather confidence in telling their own stories is a truly lovely thing, and a reason why I we ought to cherish free activities like this and develop them across our libraries.

 

Here we are, hard at work!