Online registrations the way to go!

Hastings District Libraries urges parents to register online for the upcoming junior Summer Reading Programme.

Registrations for this year’s Summer Reading Programme open on Monday November 21st at 10am.

“This year we have set up online registrations with the aim of making it easier for Hastings district residents to register.” says Paula Murdoch, District Libraries’ Manager. “No matter where they live in the district they will have the same opportunity to register on the day.”

Paula says with a maximum of 700 places, the junior programme fills quickly, and every year parents and children who cannot get into the library to register on the opening day end up being disappointed.

“These may be parents who are at work, or perhaps live in one of Hastings’ many rural communities.” Paula says.

Once booking online, participants should then visit the library within a specific period of time to meet the staff and collect a programme pack.

Online services were introduced into the reading programmes last year with children being able to arrange online report-ins during the programme.

“These options are not designed to remove the face to face interaction which is a very important part of the programme,” says Carla Crosbie, Promotions Coordinator at Hastings District Libraries, “They are designed to make the programme more accessible to library users over the summer.”

Carla says promoting literacy in the community is an important focus for the library.

“This programme is a perfect opportunity to encourage reluctant readers to keep their reading up over the summer. Ideally, we want more children doing the programmes that haven’t had the opportunity before.”