“A book not read - a story untold”, a campaign of RECL Mircea Vodă
18.01.2012
| Besides working as RECL manager, Cornelia Presada is also the local librarian in Mircea Vodă (Brăila). As such, she constantly tries to get children into the habit of reading. Recently, she organised an event called “A book not read - a story untold”, and results are already visible, as the number of children coming to the library has skyrocketed. |
“A book not read - a story untold” was the modest beginning of an entire series of activities, aiming to stimulate the children’s interest in the books that are quietly waiting for them at the library. Specifically, through posters in both local school, children were announced that everyone who has borrowed books can find a surprise waiting at the library.
Schoolchildren did not hesitate and many of them went directly to the library after class, where the RECL manager was waiting. They participated in a contest and the luckiest won prizes. “20 people and two adults were present. Children had to prove they read the books they had borrowed by resuming a part of it. We also spoke about how each participant read, each of them reading out loud a portion of the book he was returning”, RECL manager Cornelia Presada says.
Prizes from the librarian’s personal collection
After proving they were serious and had read the borrowed book, children went through a new trial. The RECL manager asked them to recite a poem and, impressed by the children’s performance, rewarded them with sweets and participation diplomas.
Surprises did not end there. Participants’ names were entered into a ballot box and three of them were lucky enough to win books. Prizes came from the librarian’s personal collection. “I was the sponsor, from my own library. My children are both over 18 years old, and my library is filled with books from the school curriculum. So I decided to offer them to pupils. One primary school student won the «Greuceanu» book and two students in secondary school got «Baltagul» and «Rascoala»”, Cornelia Presada says.
The computer, indispensable tool in modern times
Even through the activity firstly aimed to promote the library locally and to attract a large number of readers, computers were not forgotten. Children who recited the best poems won hours of free access at the PAPI computers. “We are not against computers; on the contrary, some of the prizes offered include 4 daily hours of access during the winter holidays to the computers at PAPI”, the RECL manager says.
“A book not read, a story untold”- a success
Cornelia Presada wants to meet with pupils each month for events under the name of “Day of the Returned Book”. The first such event seems to have been a hit. Learning about the prizes their schoolmates won, other schoolchildren in Mircea Vodă went to borrow books from the library. “In January we will have another activity and I am sure that more will participate at the time. It’s a pity, because there are many stories which someone might read and I have to do something to get them to come here in the library”, the RECL manager sums up.
Online resources:
The Library “Gheorghe Zamfir” in Vişina Managed to Create a Friendship between the Villagers and the World of Books
Virtual Library at PAPI Valea Moldovei renews children’s interest for reading
Keywords: Mircea VodăBrăilalibraryreadingpupilsstudents