Rediscover – a celebration of literacy at your library

On Saturday 8 September, for the very first time, every library in Dumfries and Galloway will be opening their doors and hosting a children’s event.

Libraries are taking part in REDISCOVER a celebration of literacy which takes place over the weekend of Saturday 8 September and Sunday 9 September 2012. Coordinated by Dumfries and Galloway Council there is storytelling, film making, poetry slams, music and much more happening in venues across our region.

Library events include comedy double act The2Steves, Girlie fun with Maggi Gibson, imaginary animals and cartoon lollipops with Cate James, first aid for fairies with Lari Don, boy-eating monsters with John Fardell and much more.

All Library events take place on Saturday 8 September. All events are free but ticketed. Contact your local branch to book your space.

Wigtownshire Libraries

Stranraer Library 11am-12 noon – Family event – The 2 Steves – Contact 01776 707400 to book your place. ACTION DOGS! When killer cats are clawing for world domination it’s time to unleash man’s best friend. Join this dastardly duo to discover all about Krimelord kitty Katmanchew and the brave Action Dogs with gadgets galore to hand (or paw). A real doggie treat that will keep your nose wet and your tail wagging. Join Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore for a riotous literary game show – guaranteed to make you laugh out loud! Ages 5+ www.the2steves.net

Port William Library – 11am-12 noon – Teens event – Hope London – Contact 01988 700406 to book your place. What is a graphic novel? We’ll take a look at the history of putting words and pictures together to tell stories. ‘Comix’ can be just about anything you want, and are an ideal way to create your own world and tell your own story.

Whithorn Library – 11am-12 noon – Family (Upper Primary) – Robert Bullock – Contact 01988 500406 to book your place. Robert is a children’s author, freelance writer and award winning blogger and has visited schools all across England for the past two years with his Literacy and Cross Curricular workshops for schools. www.ninnylizard.com

Wigtown Library- 11am-12 noon – Family event – Alastair Scott – Contact 01988 403329 to book your place. Alastair Scott is the author of nine books in several genres but is best known as a travel writer. With an eye for the absurd and bizarre, he’s well-placed to comment on the role of humour in travel writing after observing and practising it for around twenty years. Fully illustrated with pictures from around the world and interspersed with short readings from his own and other writers’ works, this talk promises to be informative and highly entertaining! www.alastair-scott.com

Newton Stewart Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – Liz Niven and Stephanie Taylor – Contact 01671 403450 to book your place. Schools across Dumfries & Galloway are submitting examples of their poems, stories and drawings, some of which will be chosen and re-interpreted by Liz Niven, author and Stephanie Taylor, illustrator. www.lizniven.com

Stewartry Libraries

Gatehouse Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event for little ones – Maria Cairnie – Contact 01557 814646 to book your place. Maria will provide readings of her work/oral performances based on two characters from her growing collection Blitzy Boy Walker; The Flame Haired Tyke and the love of his life, Sassica Spall; A Beautiful White Persian cat. www.blitzyboy.com

Kirkcudbright Library – 11am-12 noon – Older Pupil event. Jules Horne – Contact 01557 331240 to book your place. Get into Playwriting – Drama is great fun to write – choose your characters, put them in a tricky situation, and watch out for fireworks! In this workshop, you’ll learn first steps in playwriting, including how to create conflict and bring your characters to life. No previous experience needed! www.texthouse.co.uk

 

Dalry Library – 2pm-3pm – Family event – Cate James – Contact 01644 430234 to book your place. Cate James illustrates the Lollipop & Grandpa series, which contains fun characters and imaginary animals. How do we use our imaginations to create people and animals? Work with Cate as she draws and talks about the invention of her characters, and help her to invent some new ones along the way. www.catejames-illustration.com

Castle Douglas Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – Cate James – Contact 01556 502643 to book your place. Have a read above of what the event will offer.

Castle Douglas Library – Alex Barclay and Ken Gouge – Drop-in event. Alex will be interviewing and filming all members of the public to allow them to share their favourite books, texts, songs etc.

Dalbeattie Library – 11am-12 noon – Teens event – Douglas Blane – Contact 01556 610898 to book your place. How do we make sense of science stories in the news? Should we cover up to avoid cancer or get sun on our skin to make vitamin D? Will five portions of vegetables and eight pints of water a day help us live longer – or will it just feel like it? Was Einstein right or wrong? This session from journalist Douglas Blane will demonstrate simple ways of thinking to help get behind the headlines and learn what’s going on.

Upper Nithsdale Libraries

Kirkconnel Library – Jean Atkin – Drop-in event. Write a poem using Jean’s failsafe Build-a-Poem kit, then make your own Poetry Postcard to take away with you. You can decorate it with rubber stamps and colours. Friendly support for the imagination and plenty of enthusiasm provided! http://jeanatwordsparks.blogspot.co.uk

Sanquhar Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – Jean Edminston – Contact 01659 50626 to book your place. ‘Dragons, sheep and a little piece of blue sky’. Jean will tell stories from Scotland and around the world and invites you to come along to listen and join in .

Thornhill Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – Matthew Fitt – Contact 01848 330654 to book your place. Ken, hoose, bonnie, doon, oot, oxter, dug, coo and bubblyjock – Scots language poems, songs, games and fun with popular Scots author, Matthew Fitt www.mfitt.co.uk

Dumfries Town Libraries

Ewart Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – John Fardell – Contact 01387 253820 to book your place. Boy-Eating Monsters, Diabolical Baddies and High-Flying Jellyfish – Join award-winning author-illustrator John Fardell in this fun, interactive session as he shows us the scribbly processes that go into creating picture books such as Manfred the Baddie and The Day Louis Got Eaten, and gets us making up our own baddies, monsters and inventions.

Georgetown Library – 11am-12 noon – Teens event – Maggi Gibson – Contact 01387 256059 to book your place. Sassy Wilde, the main character in Maggi Gibson’s feisty and fun Seriously Sassy books, is a typical teen – embarrassed by her parents, driven mad by her little sis, and completely confused by boys and best friends. As if that’s not enough, Sassy wants to be a singing star. Join Maggi to find out more and before you leave, design a CD cover. www.seriouslysassy.co.uk

Lochside Library – Renita Boyle – Drop-in event. Renita uses a variety of methods to appeal across the learning styles: repetition, rhythm and rhyme; actions and audience participation; parachutes and puppets; music, masks and hats and book-making projects www.renitaboyle.com

Lochthorn Library – 2pm-3pm – Family event – Simon Puttock – Contact 01387 265780 to book your place. The session will use word and story games to explore the sheer fun of language. http://simonputtock.com/index.htm

Annandale and Eskdale Libraries

Lochmaben Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – Simon Puttock – Contact 01387 811865 to book your place. Details of the event as above.

Lockerbie Library – 3pm-4pm – Older teens event – Ian Macpherson – Contact 01576 203380 to book your place. Ian has written comedy for TV, radio, standup and books. Come along and hear him talk about what it’s like being a writer and performer. And if you’ve ever fancied writing a sitcom, a comic novel, or even standup, this is your chance to come up with some great ideas of your own. www.ianmacpherson.net

Moffat Library – 10.30am-12 noon – Family event – Julian Colton – Contact 01683 220952 to book your place. Brief introduction to observational poetry followed by opportunity to create a poem inspired by Annandale Walk, Moffat environment. Part of this activity will be outdoors/include a walk. In event of poor weather the event will be held within the library.

Annan Library – 2pm-3pm – Family event suitable for ages 8-12 – Lari Don – Contact 01461 202809 to book your place. Scottish author Lari Don writes adventures about centaurs, dragons, selkies and wolves. She will read from Maze Running, the last book in her award-winning First Aid for Fairies series, help you imagine your own adventures, and tell one of the dark legends which inspired her. Suitable for ages 8 – 12 www.laridon.co.uk

Eastriggs Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event – Alison Galbraith – Contact 01461 40844 to book your place. Alison will use stories from texts and books to strengthen the literacy links, as well as local folktales to celebrate the landscape and heritage of the area. ‘Story Sticks’ with the family group – visual clues which help the participants learn and tell a story from a text.

Gretna Library – 11am-12 noon – Family event suitable for ages 4-7 – Lari Don – Contact 01461 338000 to book your place. Award-winning children’s writer and storyteller Lari Don writes about bottoms on beaches, herons in parks and peas all over the kitchen. She will read one of her picture books, help you imagine stories of your own, and tell a joiny-in traditional tale. Suitable for ages 4 – 7 www.laridon.co.uk

Langholm Library – 11am-11.30am and 11.45am-12.15pm – Family event for little ones – Bea Ferguson – Contact 013873 800740 to book your place. Bea will excite and enthrall those involved by listening to stories but she encourages you to pass on the stories and in that way develop your own imagination and oral skills.

For details of all events in Libraries go to www.dumgal.gov.uk/lia

For details on ReDiscover go to https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/dg/REDISCOVER/