It's Magic at the Library!

Guy de Paul's magic show is out of this world. Here's a picture of him at The Wheatsheaf Library today. There are many more pictures of the fun things that go on in our libraries. Click on the link below to see just how many more.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34967699@N07/4842906885

He still has many more to visit, find out where at

http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/libraries/childrens_library_service/magic_in_the_library.aspx
Would you like to be a magician yourself? The library has books to show you how to do magic tricks. Your first trick could be to make them disappear from the library shelves!

Bookstart

Every child in the borough is entitled to have a FREE Bookstart Bag at around nine months, eighteen months and thirty six months. They contain books for the child and other goodies too.

The health visitors usually gift the first two bags - the first is a nice cotton bag with long handles so it fits on the back of a pushchair, the second is a smart red briefcase style bag in hardwearing nylon. Then the Library Outreach Workers step in to gift the Treasure Chest, this is done in a nursery or playgroup setting and we gift the Chest to children who will go to reception class at the start of the next school year.

If for any reason you do not get your Bookstart pack in this way you can always call in to your nearest library in the borough and ask them for the pack. As you can see from the picture, the Bookstart bags last well, the one on the table has seen good service.

Mobile Youth Facilities (Youth Bus)

I've also been working with secondary schools and the Youth Service to take the Youth Bus to schools in the borough.

The bus (in fact there are three of them but we tend to use just one or two at a time) has internet access, so we could demonstate all the goodies we have online 24/7 on the library website. We also asked for opinions on the new library that's planned and some very good ideas came through.

If you see any of the three buses in your area take a look - they have X Box on board as well as computers with internet access.

Bag Books

Here's Suzi and me with "Kofi" at Smallbridge Library. I've been to Sandbrook with "Sea Rescue" this week and will go again with "Kofi and the Magic Shaker" and "Uninvited Guests" these holidays.
During the last term Redwood School and St. Peter's school have enjoyed me sharing Bag Books with them - especially the water pistol from "Uninvited Guests" on a very hot day! (yes, we do get very hot days in Rochdale)

Space Hop Magic

It's been a long time since I've blogged. The truth is so much has been going on that I've not sat down to record it!
I'll tell you all about the Youth Bus, BagBooks, Bookstart etc. etc. that's been going on but first, I'm really excited by our Space Hop activities so far, lots of libraries have rung up for more alien masks, we have a drop in activity at all our libraries for six weeks, the calls mean that loads of children have been through the doors.
We've had just two magic shows from Guy de Paul and numbers have been great, let's hope they keep coming back for the rest of the fun!