The theme for National Library Week (April 4-10, 2021), “Welcome to Your Library,” promotes the idea that libraries extend far beyond the four walls of a building – and that everyone is welcome to use their services.
As the first library to open in the area, WiLI Community Library and Hub is constantly expanding to offer opportunities for everyone to explore new worlds and become their best selves through access to technology, multimedia content, and educational programs. With that, we only thought it appropriate to kickstart National Library Week through a Reading Club for Children!
What is in a Library?
A library nourishes and sustains a community. It’s more than just a building; it is a means to bolster education, fight unemployment and to create social cohesion. Libraries are essential to a democratic society as they make the basic human right of freedom of access to information a reality. They are spaces of tolerance to all races, genders, classes and ages. They provide access to computers, free space, safer environments, learning materials and books, a quiet space for school children to do their homework and most importantly a team of valuable, knowledgeable librarians – which WiLI hires on a full time basis.
According to Hart, G (2004) in her research article, Public libraries in South Africa: agents or victims of educational change?, the five most common reason why school children visit libraries are:
- To work on a project
- To sit in the library to do homework
- To use library materials to complete an assignment
- To bring back or borrow a book.
- For social reasons
The habit of reading never really gets ingrained in childhood. Our kids love leafing through books as toddlers, looking at the pictures. They may even enjoy reading as early elementary schoolers. But reading is hard work, and life offers so many other ways to entertain themselves that early reading often seems more like work than play. They never get to that delicious place where reading a good book is more fun than almost anything.
So how can you inspire a lasting love of reading?
We are very happy with our read and paint workshop! We’ve incorporated a couple elements to inspire a lasting love of reading: visiting the library and starting them off young!
