Children's Laureate library tour announced

Julia Donaldson has announced the libraries she will be visiting in this autumn's Children's Laureate Library Tour.

Julia Donaldson has announced the libraries she will be visiting in this autumn's Children's Laureate Library Tour. The national tour will take in 35 libraries in England, Wales and Scotland, from John O'Groats to Lands End and will celebrate libraries as a precious community resource at a time when a great many are threatened with closure.

The tour will begin on Monday 10th September with an event at Thurso Library in the North Highlands for the Scottish leg of the tour, sponsored by Scottish Friendly. The English and Welsh leg of the tour will start with Wigan Library on Tuesday 25th September and after visiting cities and towns including Cardiff, Weymouth, Scunthorpe, Chichester, Derby, and Luton, will finish at Carlisle Library on Thursday 18th October: view the full tour schedule. A visit to Northern Ireland libraries will take place in March 2013.

Julia comments: ‘Libraries are very close to my heart; not only do they provide a wonderful opportunity for adults and children to browse, borrow and engage with books, but they are also great community centres. This tour is my way of celebrating libraries, to highlight all that they do and offer – from lively baby and toddler Rhymetimes and book club discussions to calm spaces for study and contemplation – and to protest against the cuts and closures which are threatening so many of them.’

Schoolchildren from selected local schools will be attending the library events, which will see Julia bringing some of her hugely popular stories to life through special dramatisations. They will also be showing off their own acting and singing skills during a short performance inspired by children’s literature which they will present to Julia. In addition to the library visits, Julia will also be visiting local independent bookshops, celebrating community relations between libraries, bookshops and schools. To coincide with the launch of her libraries tour, Julia will also be launching a new website for teachers to help them to use drama and performance to bring picture books to life in the classroom.

Author and libraries campaigner Alan Gibbons, said: ‘I welcome Julia Donaldson's libraries tour. The public library service is one of the most civilising institutions in the UK giving communities a shared space where they can read, research and meet. Sadly, in difficult times, we can't take our libraries for granted. In the last year 125 were lost or removed from council control. Another 244 are currently under threat. Julia's wonderful initiative can remind us of the importance of libraries and remind everyone that you have to use it or you just could lose it.’

President of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals, Phil Bradley said: ‘I am delighted that Julia is bringing her stories and storytelling to libraries across the UK. Libraries are a unique and treasured local service. The people who work in libraries are part of their communities; providing a safe and welcoming environment, getting the right book to the right child and helping with people’s information needs. They play an essential role supporting families and children, learners and students, older and disadvantaged people.’

Find out more about Julia's library tour