The public are are invited to visit their local libraries and take a closer look at all they have to offer as part of National Public Libraries Open Day on Saturday, September 28th.
This year all public libraries in Clare will focus on a range of sensory resources provided through the library service including a range of sensory kits and other sensory equipment used in all the main libraries.
An interactive light game that promotes meaningful play for people with cognitive challenges called Tovertafel and known as the “Magic Table”, will be available in the Ennistymon, Kilrush and Shannon libraries throughout the day.
Meanwhile in Shannon the toys and sensory resource catalogue will be relaunched. All of these projects were funded from Dormant Accounts Funding over the last number of years.
Highlighting the inclusive ethos of the library service Clare County Librarian, with Clare County Council Helen Walsh, said, “I hope people take this opportunity to visit their local library on the day, check out resources and services and join the library. We now have a great range of toys and sensory resources to complement our other resources and services, making the library a truly inclusive place. We are very grateful to Dormant Accounts for the additional funding that made this possible over the last number of years.”
Clare Library Services will showcase library services and activities during National Public Libraries Open Day in five libraries across the county. Full Details are available on www.clarelibraries.ie, with highlights from each library outlined below.
De Valera Library, Ennis
Activities in De Valera Library will commence with a story time session from 10.30am that morning suitable for ages 3 -7.
There will also be a display of sensory toys which are available as part of DeValera Library’s Sensory Kit. The Sensory Kit consists of a selection of toys and tools to aid with sensory processing and developmental growth. They can be used by children who have sensory or other developmental needs while in the library.
Examples of Clare Libraries’ Toy and Sensory Resource Collection (TSRC) will also be on display. The Toy and Sensory Resource Collection is for children with complex needs and their families. The aim of the collection is to support children and their parents in choosing the right resources to aid developmental growth.
Please contact DeValera Library on 065 6824207 or ennislibrary@clarecoco.ie for more information.
Ennistymon Library
Will host a drop-in Play and Create session with Kate from Art Room 109 between 10:30 am – 1:30 pm.
Play and Create is a relaxed, open-ended, and fun environment where children can explore creativity through sensory art. Children are invited to interact with a variety of sensory stations and art tools, with guidance from Kate. The sensory art stations include painting stations, sensory play bases such as rice and homemade playdough tables, and water play.
Library staff will also have the library’s sensory resources on display including the Tovertafel or Magic Table in the multipurpose room for anyone interested.
Kilrush Library
As part of the celebrations for National Libraries Open Day, Kilrush Library will host a Flower Arranging demonstration with florist Joanne Dillon. Joanne will demonstrate how to create beautiful flower arrangements, which will then be raffled at the end of the event. This is a free event, supported by Creative Ireland funding.
Staff will also be on hand to provide information on joining the library and highlight the many wonderful resources on offer, all of which are completely free of charge.
Scariff Library
Staff in Scariff Library will host a sensory story time. Scariff Bay Radio will also broadcast live from the building and will interview staff and members of the public on the day.
Library staff will be showcasing resources and services that they provide including online resources. Check out the window art display on your visit there.
Shannon Library
Clare Libraries will launch the revised Toys, Technology and Spaces brochure, which details the range of tools and spaces designed to assist with learning, promote growth and development and help those with additional needs on the day.
Toys and aids from the Toy and Sensory Resource Collection, as well as See and Learn Kits which teach speech and reading skills in small steps for children with Down syndrome, will be available in the library for parents and carers to view and try. In addition, demonstrations of the library’s Tovertafel or Magic Table, which provides interactive light games projected onto a table and are specifically designed for adults with intellectual disabilities, older people with dementia and children with special needs, are available on request or by prior arrangement.
Shannen from Maia Purposeful Play will also visit the library to provide two sessions of child-led and interactive play experiences which allow children to enhance their cognitive, motor, and sensory development while having fun and exploring their individual interests. The first session takes place at 10.30 – 11.30 am for families with children 1-4 years. A second session at 12 – 1 pm is reserved for families with neurodivergent children aged 1-7 years. Free event, but places are limited and booking is essential.
Contact the library on 061 364266 or by email for information and booking.
Take this opportunity to visit Shannon Library’s sensory garden and enjoy the Scéal Trail, an outdoor picture-book story exhibition featuring the story of The Same but Different by Emer O’ Neill. Families can avail of colouring, board games, jigsaws, sensory kits and lots more to see and do, celebrating the range of events and services that your local library offers.
Friendly library staff will also be on hand to show visitors around, demonstrate online services, and sign up for a library card if you don’t already have one.
For queries in relation to the National Public Libraries Open Day in Clare Libraries, please contact: Cora Gunter, Senior Executive Librarian at 065-6899086 and cgunter@clarecoco.ie
For more information on library services nationally click here…