30 August 2005

Library sector leads over 40 000 children in reading National Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS), Friday 2 September 2005, 11:00am AEST

At 11:00am AEST on Friday 2 September, over 40 000 children around Australia will read the same book, Wombat stew, at the same time for National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS), an initiative of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and a key event during National Literacy and Numeracy Week (NLNW), a Commonwealth Government initiative.

Politicians frequently take up the cause for building literacy skills in early childhood, but this is an area that public and school libraries around Australia have always been focused on.

President of ALIA, Dr Gillian Hallam, today said 'Hundreds of thousands of children and their carers attend pre-school storytime in public libraries all over Australia every week, helping to build young Australians who love reading and are keen to develop their reading skills when they start school.

'Storytime helps to build social and spatial skills, and develops listening and comprehension in preschool aged children,' Dr Hallam said.

Friday's NSS is aimed at young children aged three to eight years. Over 700 public and school libraries, childcare centres and pre-schools will participate in the simultaneous reading of the picture book Wombat stew, by Marcia K Vaughan.

High-profile (NLNW) literacy champions including federal Minister for Education, Science and Training the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson, Young Australian of the Year Khoa Do, author Christopher Cheng, chairman of the Exodus Foundation the Reverend Bill Crews AM, and many others will read Wombat stew during NSS to promote the importance of reading to young children.

Highlighting the true 'national-ness' of the event, for the first time ever Schools of the Air will take part in NSS in 2005. Using Interactive Distance Learning technology, the Kimberley, Kalgoorlie and Alice Springs Schools of the Air will read the story together over the airwaves to children in the remote areas of South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Pamela Lofts, the illustrator of Wombat stew, will read the story at the Alice Springs School of the Air.

National Simultaneous Storytime is an event highlight in a calendar of storytime programs taking place in Australia’s public libraries throughout each year.

'Each year, Wollongong City library services holds over 400 programs for under fives with more than 6000 children attending these programs' said Wilma Bancroft, children and youth services librarian at Wollongong City Library. 'The programs include pre-school storytime targeting two- to five-year olds, Born to Read targeting under two year-olds, and pre-school and playgroup visits to the library for storytime.'

Carolyn Bourke, community outreach librarian - Children and Youth at Fairfield City Library Services and steering committee member for Minister Nelson's 'Read Aloud' Summit being held this week is a strong advocate for building children’s literacy skills through reading, the joys of reading and the importance of reading to young children. 'In just the Western Sydney area comprising Auburn, Bankstown, Blacktown, Fairfield, Holroyd, Liverpool, Penrith, Baulkham Hills, Hawkesbury, Parramatta and Camden public libraries children’s librarians reach over 100 000 children participating in storytime preschool programs, school visits and outreach visits by these public libraries to preschools. Such public library programs, and NSS, play a vital role in developing the literacy skills of Australia’s children.'

For more information on National Simultaneous Storytime around Australia, and events taking place in your area please visit the National Simultaneous Storytime information page on ALIAnet at: http://alia.org.au/advocacy/storytime/.