New Children?s Library Website

A NEW website for children is to go live on Monday, February 27, aimed at encouraging them to read more books.
Illustrated by Korky Paul, the Oxford-based creator of drawings for Winnie the Witch, the website has been created by Oxfordshire County Council to introduce more of the Internet generation to its libraries.

The website, which was designed with the help of young readers, the Witney Worms Reading Group, explains how to join a library and what services ? which include free Internet access, music and films as well as books and newspapers – are on offer.

It also includes links to sites of use for homework, a quiz for five to 11-year-olds and an interactive map so visitors can find their nearest library.

Visiters to the Kids and Teens @ Libraries website, http://kidlib.oxfordshire.gov.uk
will find information about library events, school visits, books for babies and younger children and how to keep kids safe on the Internet. Adults can safely let children use the Internet in the county council?s libraries because the computers have filtered access.

Carol Stitson, the county?s childrens’ and youth librarian, said that in Oxfordshire the number of issues of children?s books is rising rapidly but that a lot of people had never been inside a library.
?If we can just get children and young people into our libraries, we know they will find it an amazing resource,? she said.

County councillor, Don Seale, the Cabinet member with responsibility for libraries, said: ?It may seem ironic that we?re using a website to reach children more used to the Internet in order to encourage them to read books, but in fact books and Internet work very well together as sources of information and entertainment.?