Librarian Experience

Corinna and Angela at Orewa Library made 12 of our book loving children feel incredibly welcome and took through their paces as Junior Librarians. They started by learning to navigate the shelving system in the children's section and how to reserve their favourite books on the computer system. This was an exciting discovery for some of our children who had been disappointed in the past when the book they hopped to get had been snapped up already. We also learned that it is worth reserving books because for ever 10 people on a waiting list, the library buys another copy and puts it into circulation. It was incredible to find out just how many books are being transported around each day between libraries to get to the people who want to borrow them!

The children toured the different departments of the main library and learned how to access the free computers using an access code and operate the photocopiers using that code also.

Then it was time to go behind the scenes. We went into the reserves area and Corinna explained the next step in the reserves process- what happens when your book comes into the library. There were tubs and tubs of books that had arrived from other libraries at the request of Orewa customers. Each book had to be scanned over the barcode reader pad and a receipt with the name of the person who requested it on it and the date it could be returned into circulation if it as not picked up. The computer system automatically generated an email to the person who had requested it, letting them know it had arrived in the library and was ready for pick up. These books, with their name receipts pocking out of the book, we then placed by the children in alphabetical order amongst the hundreds of books waiting to be picked up. We were all amazed by how many people take advantage of this service!

Upstairs, we got to see where all the staff worked and stations where repairs on the books happened. The shelves were overflowing with arts and crafts materials that Corrina and Angela use for displays and school holiday programmes.

It was then break time- librarians need breaks! During break time, the children drank hot chocolate with marshmallows and ate chocolate biscuits- classic librarian food we wee told! Corinna got the children to help her brainstorm ideas for print materials like bookmarks and school holiday activities. The children shared all their great ideas on post-it notes.

At the end of our visit the children were allowed to inherit one of the withdrawn books to take as their own.

Thank you so much to the team at Orewa Library. The children loved spending time with you and are very keen to visit and work in the library again in the future!