December equals busy for library staff!
On Saturday 9 December Kia MâiateWhai Dare to Explore (Auckland Libraries’ summer reading programme) launches. Helensville Library staff will be joining with staff from other libraries in a celebration event at the NorthWest Mall between 10am and 4pm. Special guests will be joining us throughout the day, and there will be activities available. Children can join the programme on the spot, pick up their booklet (if they’ve already registered), and maybe even have some challenges marked off as completed.
This day also marks the opening of Auckland Libraries presence at the pop-up facility at NorthWest Mall (part of the Town Centre area). There will be events throughout summer (December to April) at the construction site for the new community facility. Events include storytimes, sing-a-longs, crafts – and they’re not just aimed at children. Detailed flyers are available at Helensville Library.
Tuesday 19 December means Santa is in the library! Yes, there’s a special kids’ time with Santa 10.30am-11am at the library. And then the library team, with Santa, will be at the library pop-up at NorthWest Mall from 6pm for a Santa sing-a-long. He’ll also be squeezing in a special Storytime with Santa on Christmas Eve, Sunday 24 December, 6-7pm at the pop-up.
As if that isn’t enough, Kia MâiateWhai Dare to Explore continues throughout December and until 17 January. Children are encouraged and supported to keep their reading levels up during the long summer school break. Library staff have activities planned to help children complete their challenges. Research shows that reading levels tend to slip over the holiday, but participation in summer reading programmes helps keep their reading levels the same, if not improve them.
Helensville Library will only be closed on the statutory holidays this year. We’re open Saturday 23 December, 9.30am-4pm – and then will re-open on Wednesday 27 December, 9.30am-5pm. We’re open Saturday 30 December, 9.30am-4pm – and then will re-open, with our usual hours, on Wednesday 3 January 2018, 9.30am-5pm.
