Support grows for Reading Time
Children are encouraged to attend the next story time at Sparks Estate Library.
SPARKS Estate Library invites four to eight year olds to book reading on Tuesdays from 3pm to 4pm.
Parents are urged to support this initiative by encouraging their children to go to the library and enjoy book reading time on the Reading Carpet.
The idea was the brainchild of Wendy Akkers who planned this book reading time in the revamped section of the Sparks Estate Library while schools were closed for the April holidays.
“I helped with some furnishing to make the junior section more appealing. The intention is to the get kids back to the library and off the streets, but also to instill a love of reading and books – I believe that reading is the foundation of success,” said Wendy.
Wendy is an IT manager who grew up and has lived in Sydenham all her life. She said as a child she visited Sparks Estate Library, later taking her own children and her 89-year-old mum to the library.
“Part of my job is recruitment and in the past five years, the readiness of recruits applying for jobs is lacking, some are unable to answer written questions, therefore are not successful thus contributing to the unemployment in our community and country. I felt I had to find a way to rectify this situation and realised that I would have to start at ‘grass root ‘ level,” she said.
Visiting the Sparks Estate Library monthly, to get her mum her romance novels, she noticed the library was under renovation and asked what was going on.
“The librarian advised of the new junior section, and the idea of using this new section kitted out to attract the children into the library was born. Being part of this community and having an amenity like the library, schools, day care centres and churches right on our door step, I saw an opportunity to get the kids back into the library, reading and to love books. Focusing on the juniors is the place to start and they in turn are preparing themselves for the future,” said Wendy.
She approached the library supervisor, Nafeesah Zondi, with her idea and she agreed.
“This is now a regular event and last week saw approximately 20 children attend the Tuesday book reading. It looks like we will have to get more carpets, chairs and tables in order to facilitate the enthusiastic community of four to eight year olds,” said Wendy.
She said she hoped children would stop in at the library on their way home from school on Tuesday afternoons, to enjoy a time of ‘escape’ during book reading time.
Contact Wendy Akkers on 083 703 8361 or Sparks Estate Library on 031 208 4881.
