DUNDEE CITY LIBRARIES

Shadowing organized by Lynn Moy, Senior Library & Information Worker
Report from 2001.

Dundee City Libraries have been shadowing the Kate Greenaway Medal for a number of years, inviting classes from Primary Schools into the libraries, introducing them to the shortlists and inviting them to vote for their own favourite titles. This last year, the scheme was expanded to include afterschool reading groups and a Youth Library Group, shadowing the Carnegie Medal as well as the Greenaway.

All the Library Supervisors (14) were invited to register interest/volunteer. Previously, libraries have only shadowed the Greenaway titles. I encouraged Carnegie Shadowing by emphasising that the whole books did not have to be read e.g. first chapter, dip in, jacket, blurb, first page.

Four Libraries Took Part

1. Greenaway with two, Primary 3 classes
* Carnegie with a Youth Library Group

2. Greenaway with an afterschool reading group - primary school age

3. Greenaway with Primary 6 class

4. Greenaway with an afterschool reading group
* Carnegie with an afterschool reading group

All tackled the project differently

1. Greenaway
* Books were read at programmed storytimes
* Class visits were arranged to discuss criteria
* Books were left in school and teachers read them again to the class

Judging

A display for each book with seven stands was dotted around the library with large display covering the whole shortlist.

The pupils had a last look at the displays before voting for their favourites. There were refreshments whilst the votes were counted. The winning title was read to them.

As previous years, this was a very successful event.

2. Greenaway
An afterschool Bookworm Club was held weekly for primary school age children Judging

Each week 2 books were read and each child gave each book marks out of ten for the story and the illustration. When all the books had been dealt with in this way, library staff totaled the marks and divided by the number of children involved.

3. Greenaway
A Primary 6 class was invited to read and discuss the shortlist titles during their scheduled class visit as a 'treat' as they had worked hard on their non-fiction research skills.

Judging

After time spent on discussion, the class used voting slips to vote for their favourite titles.

4. Greenaway
The afterschool reading group meets weekly, calling itself the Rock 'n' Readers. Their newspaper report is below.

Judging

Each week books were read. Children were encouraged to take books home and discuss views the following week. The group logged on to the website. The group were then asked if they would like to appear on a local TV channel to promote Homework Clubs. During the filming everyone skimmed the remaining books. The final vote was taken on camera by ballot box.

Carnegie
1. Afterschool Teenage Reading Group

Judging

Front covers - the group talked about them and which appealed most. They took turns to read the blurb and discussed which they thought would make to best story. Finally they read the first page and a random page from each book. Choices were made on the basis of the quality of writing and how much they were tempted to read the rest of the book.

A display of posters and books were made.

4. Afterschool Reading Group
The Carnegie shortlist was a bit too old for the Reading Group. However, titles were borrowed and discussed. Comments were put onto the website.

Follow-up

As is our custom I was able to get signed copies for all participating libraries. One member of staff went to the upper school assembly, told pupils about the event and presented the signed copy to the school. She then went to the 2 classes and read the Greenaway winner.

For the Reading Group participants there were local competitions for individuals to win the signed copy for their library.

A signed copy of the winning book was presented to the school and a certificate for the class involved.

Book displays were put up in the libraries.

Everyone enjoyed the event and we are all planning to be involved next year.

Rock 'n' Readers - newsletter
By Janette Steward

During the month of May, a Reading Group was born in Arthurstone Library. This group consists of five girls and one boy, aged between 8 and 11 years. They got together to discuss their likes and dislikes of books and other literature. As the Reading Group was in its early stages, it was proposed that a name be found. They came up with Rock 'n' Readers. During the first meeting they laid down some ground rules and agreed that they would met each Friday night after school. They designed their logo, letterheading and badges, which were sent to the Community Information team to have their designs professionally presented - a job which I think has been very well done and which the children thought was brilliant.

They were told of the Greenaway and Carnegie Medals. They liked the sound of reading books that had been shortlited for these awards and wanted to get involved with the Greenaway and Carnegie Medals. After accessing the Internet, I found that they could reserve a web page just for this purpose. When they saw their club name on the Internet they were over the moon. Now all we had to do was wait until our password arrived and we could access the Greenaway and Carnegie Postroom, so that the group could e-mail their reviews over the Internet. With this being high-tech, the children were really enthralled.

Each week they read one of the short-listed books and reviewed it over the Internet. They even took home some of the harder text books, so that they could read them through the week and return them on Friday.

Our winner was I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato, which matched the winner chosen by the professional judges!