MEDIA RELEASE
Ruapehu District Council

Date: Friday 19 July 2013

Library Holiday Activities Prove Popular

The library July school holiday programme has been proving very popular with kids of all ages with enthusiastic participants taking part in activities in Taumarunui, Ohakune and Raetihi.

The first week of the holidays saw kids making pencil toppers and other crafts in Ohakune, Waimarino inspired art in Raetihi and attending Hairy Mcclary’s 30th birthday in Taumarunui.

Ruapehu District Council (RDC) Community Librarian, Fiona Thomas, said that more and more kids were coming along to the school holiday activities.

“It’s fantastic to see all the kids getting into the holiday programme activities and how much enjoyment they are getting out of it.”

“The school holiday activities are proving to be an excellent way to get local kids excited about their library, reading and feeling comfortable about using all the ‘kid friendly’ things we have here,” she said.

“In Ohakune and Raetihi the craft based activities have been really popular with the kids making some amazing things.”

Mrs Thomas added that the Ohakune library staff were really chuffed to have one of the kids make them a handmade card thanking them for having the craft session.

“In Taumarunui we had around 20 kids celebrating the 30th birthday of Hairy Maclary and his friends,” she said.

“Hairy Maclary has become a NZ icon of children’s stories and has been popular across generations.”

“Hairy’s 30th was marked with balloons and bunting, craft activities, music, story readings, and a ‘Pin the Bone to Hairy Maclary’ game and concluded with a party which homemade chocolate coated ‘dog bone’ biscuits.”

“Later on the Taumarunui Ukulele Club gave a performance to an enthusiastic group of listeners with a mix of well-known sing-a-long tunes.”

Mrs Thomas said that one of council’s aims was to promote the library as a purposeful leisure activity.

“One of the many benefits of the library relocating to council’s Huia St building is that there will be better spaces available for these types of activities.”

“It has long been recognised that the current Hakiaha St building is no longer meeting the needs and demands required of a modern library service,” she said.

“Modern public libraries need to have the flexibility and space to offer a variety of programmes and services along with digital services such as internet access.”

“The new Huia St space will allow this and much more.”

ENDS

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