Dear Children! Dear Librarians! Dear Friends of Children´s Books!
Do you know what books are doing at night?
Have you ever heard about a night in a library?

We would like to let you know about a night of fairy tales which the children in the Czech Republic will experience for the third time this year. On Friday, April 2nd 2004, a Night with Andersen will happen in many towns and villages - at the place where imaginative librarians, clever teachers and educators prepare an interesting programme for the young audience with a night reading of fairy tales. This mutual event of the Association of Children´s Libraries of SKIP and of BMI association has organised under the occasion of March - the month of the Internet campaign. The organisers also want to you about remind the children´s book festival which is celebrated in many world countries under the occasion of the birthday of the famous Danish fairy-tales writer Hans Christian Andersen.

Last year, this event was organised in March, the month of the Internet, in 153 places of our country. The Internet helped us to communicate and prepare competitions, quiz and programmes in many libraries in Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Poland. Thanks to the Internet we knew what happened in each place. The libraries were visited by many different characters from the fairy-tales, and one mutual poem was written. There was also a search for a treasure in one library, in another library a discotheque was held, an in another one was a theatre and common singing. But reading of fairy-tales was not forgotten anywhere. They were read by children, librarians and in one library even read by the mayor.

Next year, you will be able to spend the night in the library on Friday, April 2nd 2004. An attractive evening and night programme will be prepared for children: reading of fairy-tales, competitions will be held and lots of fun and adventures. This year an Internet chat will also take part, children can share their experience with their friends throughout the night. We believe that in this mutual electronic night conference, a new celebratory poem will evolve, as well as new friendships.

And this is a chance for you, dear friends from all over the world! If you enjoy a new experience and if you like our idea, you can have a unique chance to participate!
Join us!
Help us to celebrate the International Book Day and to beat last year´s record (3506 children, 843 adults and 3 dogs spent a night the library)!!!

If you have the open space possibilities and energy to organise something for the children, you can register at our email address detske@knihovnabbb.cz; we will send you more information immediately. Only a little is required for a night outside of your home - a sleeping bag, a little pillow, a mattress, a book.... This night adventure is priceless....

In our over-stuffed technological period, the public, as well as experts can ask why the children do not read much. As far as the psychological studies show, the most important aspect is from a personal example: in families where the adults read, children do not have any problems with reading either. And because we know that children from some families do not have the experience of "story-time", we try to offer them another possibility - a night reading to celebrate the International Children´s Book Day. The aim of our night is to increase children´s interest in reading, to show them a beauty of the spoken word and the charm of mutual "story-time" aloud. All in one magical evening in many places around our planet.

The children´s department, Mirka Čápová, Hana Hanáčková, tel. 572 551 250, detske@knihovnabbb.cz

Knihovna B. Beneše Buchlovana, Velehradská 714, 686 01 Uherské Hradiště, Czech Republic

26.01.2004