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Danny Middleton

Posted by: Danny Middleton

On: 25 October 07

My name is Danny Middleton and I am a Community Children's Librarian for Salford Libraries and Information Service. I've worked in either libraries or bookshops since I was 16 and still find it impossible to go to bed without reading something. I've recently loved David Almond's “My Dad's a Birdman” and “The Black Book of Secrets” by F.E. Higgins.

The theme for this year's Summer Reading Challenge really seems to have enthused the staff and the children alike in Salford. Just under 1000 more joined the Big Wild Read than the previous year.

The children's team had a very successful time going into as many schools and assemblies as possible before the end of term. The School Improvement Service sponsored the challenge, offering the top two schools £300 of books each. We also promoted the game at festivals and at the Salford City Reds grounds.

Salford City Reds were involved for the first time this year offering a free match ticket for every child that joined the Big Wild Read. The Vue Cinema in Salford also kindly sent the library service 2000 money off vouchers.

We ran over 80 sessions during the six weeks ranging from crafts sessions, Chatterbooks meetings, healthy living walks and storytimes in local parks.

Probably the most successful were the events run by Zoolab, who ran Rainforest Roadshows at most libraries. The sessions were packed and the children loved the chance to see spiders, snakes etc in the flesh!

The Summer Reading Challenge has left the children's team and the rest of the staff ready for a summer holiday themselves, but also motivated and very keen to build on the success over the next year!