Book swaps, creative writing, inclusive storytelling, stories from around the world, puppet shows, origami, illustration of poetry, a sock puppet workshop, a mobile library and a book tasting restaurant could all be found on this week on Vasco da Gama street, Quarteira, as part of an event organised by Loulé’s Library Network (RBCL).
The aim of this Libraries Outdoors event - put together by librarians from all over Loulé - was to celebrate International School Library Month (MIBE) and to allow children to take part in different types of activities related to reading. It included close to 350 students of Primary school age (from Quarteira and Vilamoura) and attracted the attention of both locals and tourists, who stopped at each station to listen to stories or to have a look at the puppets. Telmo Pinto, mayor of the host town, Loulé’s councillor for Education, Ana Machado, and the director of Loulé Library, Rita Moreira, came down for the morning to see what was going on along this lively street in Quarteira.
A strategy designed to develop partnerships between different entities, this first edition of Libraries Outdoors was supported by Loulé County Council, Quarteira Town Council, Loulé’s Library Network (RBE) and all of the librarians, technicians and students from Secondary schools and technical colleges who ran the activities on the day.
Hopefully, this event will be held every year in the areas where the various schools and partners of Loulé’s Library Network are located (Loulé Library, School Group Eng. Duarte Pacheco, Padre João Coelho Cabanita Group, Loulé Secondary School, Vilamoura International School, Almancil School Group, Dr. Laura Ayres School Group, D. Dinis de Quarteira School Group, Cândido Guerreiro Professional School, Manuel Viegas Guerreiro Foundation and the Municipal Museum Documentation Center).
