Storytime goes digital

Library Officer Sam Hartwig.

Ewen McRae

While libraries across the region are closed, young children can still enjoy popular storytime sessions online.

Storytime sessions are being filmed by library staff so local children can still hear their favourite books brought to life.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, library staff will livestream an event to the library Facebook page. It will include nursery rhymes and stories, and plenty of actions to get kids up and moving.

Moorabool mayor David Edwards said it was important that children stayed engaged with learning and books throughout the lockdown period enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is just one small thing we can do for kids in the shire during these school holidays – provide a small service that they might be missing,” Cr Edwards said.

“We would normally have school holiday programs running in our Bacchus Marsh and Ballan libraries over the school holidays.

“This holiday period is obviously going to be very different to normal so any small way we can make a difference and give children some normality is a great thing.”

Ryhme-time will be livestreamed on Tuesdays at 10am and storytime on Thursdays at 10.30am. Craft activities will be posted to the Facebook page on the remaining weekdays.

Livestreams will stay on the Facebook page after the events if the time doesn’t suit families.

Videos must not be downloaded and will be taken down at the end of the pandemic period.

Those interested in following the online stories can follow ‘Moorabool libraries’ on Facebook.

Ewen McRae