The biggest group of library ambassadors so far are at the back (L-R) Elly Leach, Asher Gould, Thys Hutchings, Zahli Gillingham, Lila Thompson and Curdie Butler. In front are Aliza Roberts, Addison Wild, Breanna Powell, Sienna Hewett, Grace Mayo and Peggy Swift.
The Parkes Library Ambassadors program has 12 participants this year boasting the biggest number since its inception in 2019.
The 12 students come from all five primary school and includes two students representing the local home school network for the first time. The Year 5 students represent Parkes Christian School, Parkes Public, Parkes East and Middleton Public School and Holy Family.
The group was invited to afternoon tea at the Parkes Library last Wednesday to meet each other and Parkes Shire Councillors Marg Applebee and Jacob Cass, and go on a tour of the library. It also included a creative session in the Marramarra Makerspace
“I just love reading, and that is why I wanted to become a library ambassador,” said 10-year-old Peggy Swift from Parkes Christian School. Her friend Grace Mayo from Parkes Christian School, is also a book lover and is into reading Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers. “It is the best story!”
For Elly Leach (11), who is home schooled, it was about seizing the moment when the opportunity to become a library ambassador came up. “I will also enjoy telling other kids about activities at the library at our home school meets.”
She said her favourite book was The Chronicles of Narnia The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. She also enjoyed the Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
The role of the ambassadors include the promotion of and communication about what is happening at the Parkes Library with their respective school communities. They are also invited to events at the library and invited to write book reviews of new books.
The program was started in 2019 after a trial was run in 2018 and it was found that when students heard something from their peers it had more value.