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LibraryFish

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  Hop into Space
  Date 09/07/2010

  With six long weeks of the summer holidays coming up, I was thinking about entertaining the children, so my first port of calling was my local Essex library. Last summer one of the children had taken part in a scheme where each child read six books and then received a medal at the end. The youngest was so pleased with her medal, I was hoping for something similar and was very pleased to find that this year it is happening again and is called ‘Space Hop’. All you have to do is pop down to the library and the children can choose any books they like. You get a set of stickers for each book you read and then a gold medal when you have read six books- wow!  The ten year old informed me that he was ‘too big’ to take part in Space Hop and I was equally delighted to find that they had a different activity for him called ‘Space Station 2010’. He will receive puzzle cards, a DVD voucher, and a space gadget at the end if he takes part in all six activities. So I know where I’ll be on the first day of the holidays – Essex Libraries wins again.

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  Celebrating National Bookstart Day
  Date 11/06/2010

  Whilst in the Library today I heard the lovely sound of singing from the children’s area. It is National Bookstart Day and it is being celebrated in every Essex library for the next two weeks.  It’s all about the seaside this year.

  Bookstart sessions happen in every library in Essex where children and their carers can come along and share books and sing nursery rhymes - how wonderful is that! Sessions happen at all different times and you can find out about your local library here. http://digbig.com/5bbsht

  So that dads don’t miss out, there are some weekend sessions. Daddy Cool runs in a lot of the libraries where dads and their children can join in with the rhymes and also take part in the celebrations of National Bookstart Day.  So, if you have a pre-school child, go along and celebrate with Essex Libraries. Fantastic!

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  Treasure Hunters
  Date 28/05/2010

  It’s half term coming up, and as always I am always on the search for what’s going on locally. Once again Essex Libraries have come up trumps and are doing exciting events all about treasure hunting! I had a look on the posters and I can have my photo taken with Indiana Jones. I am more than happy to do that – oh I forgot it was for the kids! It also asked me if I was as brave as Indy – not sure if I am, but I went to parents evening and survived!

  There will be some real artefacts from Essex and you can find out how your ancestors lived in the past. Sounds like a really good afternoon out. Events are not only in my local library they are all over Essex –  http://digbig.com/5bbraw However there are lots of events going on, and I know there is a Horrid Henry event at Chipping Ongar Library so why don’t you check out what Essex Libraries are doing this half term. I know it will be great.

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  Free WiFi in Essex Libraries
  Date 14/05/2010

  I was in the library with the my partner and the kids and needed to do some research on Family Ancestry and whilst I was getting engrossed on what was happening in the 19th Century in my family, I sent them off to explore.

  They were thrilled to find that the library had free Wi-fi. I found the kids lounging on the sofas with their laptops playing games and my partner, enjoying chatting on Twitter on his smartphone. ( http://twitter.com/EssexLibraries). We were in Chelmsford Library, but apparently it’s in every library so if you have a laptop, a smartphone and your Essex Libraries card then you can access this amazing service straight away!

  However, our friends turned up and they had left their laptops at home, so they used one of the library computers. They needed a library ticket, but that was no problem because they could get one there and then.

  Once again, what a great trip to Essex Libraries – Isn’t it time you found out? You could have a quick look now at www.essex.gov.uk/libraries
   

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  Global Gala
  Date 30/04/2010

  I was wondering what to do this Bank Holiday Monday and I discovered a fantastic event in Chelmsford called the Global Gala. It’s all about stories and myths from different cultures and I thought it would be great to visit. However I wanted to tell the children about the stories and I popped into the library to find that they had loads of stories from different cultures. Check them out here http://digbig.com/5bbnch

  In the evening at the Global Gala there is a Cuban and Jamaican concert and whilst at the library I found some great CDs. Find out about what you are going to listen to before you go! http://digbig.com/5bbncj

  It’s between 12 - 9pm and in Central Park. And for more information check it out here. http://digbig.com/5bbnck

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  Essex Book Festival reviews
  Date 16/04/2010

  I was in Chelmsford Library looking at the recommendations that people had made at the launch of the Essex Book Festival. I found some fantastic books that I hadn’t read and some that I had.

  But this got me thinking about books I have read in the past and I decided to try one of my old favourites during the Easter Holidays. I love reading all sorts of books and I was really pleased to find that there were plenty of copies in Essex Libraries. However I was really pleased to find that it was on CD. So, I popped it on the CD player in the car and the journey down to Cornwall transported me back to when I was a child!

  Oh ...what was it?  To Kill a Mockingbird. Take yourself back down memory lane and re-read your old favourites. You can order it free of charge today with your library ticket here http://digbig.com/5bbkmm