"SUMMER IN THE LIBRARY - 2016" WORKSHOP IN "SAVA DOBROPLODNI" REGIONAL LIBRARY - Sliven ENDED WITH "PARADE OF TALENTS"

For the eleventh consecutive year, "Sava Dobroplodni" Regional library organized for the children of Sliven workshop entitled "Summer in the library" in July.

This year too, the interest in the initiative of the library was great. Regardless of the surprises of the summer time, every weekday from 9: 30 am until midday more than 40 children aged 7 to 10 years attended the organized activities. Every day, traditionally, classes started with entertaining reading hour. For one hour, in one of the reading rooms of the library children read books by Bulgarian and foreign children's authors, who were not included in the "annoying and compulsory" school summer reading lists. The smartly selected books by contemporary authors like Vesela Flamburari, Julia Spiridonova, Neli Margaritova, Rumen Ivanchev, Ole Lund Kierkegaard, Sven Norkvist, etc. attracted the interest of young readers and made reading a funny and enjoyable experience. At the end of each reading hour children discussed the books read and naturally and spontaneously commented what impressed them, offered their options for end of story. They had fun as librarians dramatized excerpts from books and children enthusiastically took part as actors.

Besides classes in reading, the daily program of the workshop included interesting thematic activities. The first classes: "My library - my Treasure Island"; "Ancient history books", "How to make a book?" were dedicated to the book and the library. Through interesting presentations, a trip into the library, visits to bookstores, children got acquainted with the history of book publishing and the way the book was created from its writing to its appearance on the shelves of bookstores and libraries. They were able to prepare also their versions of a book written, edited and illustrated by them.

The program included sessions on other topics of interest to children such as "Fun Natural school", "Tasty geography", "Because we are different. - Ethnic groups in Bulgaria. Customs, holidays, religion", as well as topics related to the rules of good health, friendship, fashion, music, theater, etc.

The program this year was focused on topics related to the history, daily life, mores, customs and traditions of our city. In thematic activities "Ancient history of Sliven", "Sliven - a city of rebels and enlighteners", "Tales of heroes, rebels and their heroic deeds", "Under the azure sky of The Blue stones", "The Golden hands of old Sliven craftsmen", "In the silence of Sliven old houses", "Under the branches of the old elm the wind tells legends", etc., children were introduced to interesting facts about the ancient history of Sliven and its development over the centuries, learned more about the famous Sliven Revival figures, symbols of the city, the Revival architecture, crafts, monuments... Each thematic class related to the history and monuments of the city was accompanied by visits of the museums, galleries, monuments / house – museum of "Dobri Chintulov", house - museum of Sliven customs, the National Museum of textile industry, the Art gallery "Dimitar Dobrovich", the monument of Hadji Dimitar, the Clock tower, the administrative building of the park "The Blue stones", The Old elm tree, etc. /. Two days the children painted the monuments of Sliven inspired by legends, stories and memories of them.

Interesting for children were also the topics related to folk traditions, customs and folklore: "The Handicrafts of Bulgarian women. - Wealth of Bulgarian embroidery. Costumes from Sliven region", "The Magic of Bulgarian round dance", "I mostly love to eat. - Sliven Traditional meals", “The games of our grandparents", "They ate, drank and had fun for three days. - Customs, traditions and songs from Sliven region". Children expressed their impressions of what they saw and learned in the bookmarks they made by themselves and postcards with motifs from folk embroidery. They also prepared lunch menu of their favorite meals from Sliven region. Great laughter and fun accompanied the performance of children's games and entertainment from more than a century. The children were very happy because they have already learned the steps of Bulgarian round dance.

As usually the practical classes practice were the most cheerful and funny ones: children drew, made cards and bookmarks, mummer masks, bracelets and amulets, panels of natural materials, mastered the secrets of origami, etc. And we, the adults, we were surprised by the vast children's imagination and original creativity woven into each object or drawing they made.

Traditionally, the summer workshop ended with a special ceremony - a real parade of talents. The children sang favorite songs, poems, danced, participated in fun competitions, shared funny anecdotes and amusing misunderstandings occurred during the classes, they told about their new friendships. At the end of the celebration each participant received as a gift a certificate and nice children's books with wishes for many pleasant moments in the wonderful world of fairy tales.

By the summer workshop organized "Sava Dobroplodni" Regional library once again made the vacation of its young readers happy, funny and unique. For librarians remained the satisfaction of the work done and the challenge to take, by the help of new initiatives, more children on a wonderful journey into the realm of books.