Rainy Days and Summer Holidays

by Pauline Tait

In 2021 The Society of Authors asked authors if they would offer their support and get behind a campaign to save our libraries.

At the time, the author within me became rattled that this question even had to be asked and, before I knew it, my fingers were rattling off the keyboard. My memories as a young child combined with my experiences as an author meant that I reached their five-hundredword limit rather quickly but, hopefully, through the power of words, my message was added to others and the value of our libraries and the dedicated librarians within them was heard.

In any case, I thought I would share my thoughts with you here, and below is my contribution to the #LibrariesAreEssential campaign…

The question, why do I think libraries are essential, took me, unexpectedly, on a journey back to my own childhood and summer holidays.

I suddenly found my inner child gripping the counter while my tiptoes gave me just enough height to watch as the librarian prepared to stamp my library card. The thud that inevitably followed was the final confirmation that my choice in books was indeed coming home with me. I would clutch the temporary additions to our family firmly in my arms and watch as the librarian busied herself between stamping my grandmother’s choices and the tower of drawers behind her. The imposing wooden structure held the world within it. The cogs of the library wheel turned with every drawer that was opened and every card that was stamped.

I remembered the people we would meet and the chatter that would ensue around our newly selected books. And as I reminisced, I was hit with the overwhelming feeling that even although times have changed and the world has moved on, our need for libraries has most certainly not gone. Although we now independently scan our library cards and books, librarians are on the library floor, eager to help, talk books, and help you discover new authors, new worlds, and new interests.

And, although the memories from my childhood reinforce the need for our libraries, it is my career as an author that has opened my eyes fully to what our libraries and dedicated librarians do for their communities.

Librarians work hard with local schools and organisations, and I have enjoyed many great events in libraries throughout Scotland where local primary school children have come to not only hear my stories and chat about their reading and writing but also, as part of their school visit, choose a book to borrow. I ve watched as the children instinctively go to their preferred section and I ve been inspired by their willingness to search for new worlds and new characters.

But given that now more than ever, parents and carers are working, and time is often a luxury, it is thanks to our librarians and the tireless work they do to build relationships with their local primary schools, that has given many children the opportunity to benefit from our libraries. They organise and hold author events; they unite the literary world, and they open doors for many children that may not otherwise be given the opportunity. Reading is an essential building block in a child’s learning. It feeds their imaginations and their creativity, and by default improves their own writing and storytelling skills.

Our children are our future! Every single one of them! And thanks to our passionate and dedicated librarians they grow into adulthood feeling welcomed in our library system. And, as their autumn years will inevitably approach, libraries will still be there, offering a source of comfort, friendship, and familiarity as they welcome them to author and community events.

I do hope you have enjoyed my contribution, and just as libraries were there for me, they are there for you. A place of calm, quiet and safety. A place to enjoy with children as the summer holidays approach. A place to visit on rainy days, and all it will cost is a smile and hello to the librarians who welcome you into their world. Who open their doors in all weathers and who offer comfort, warmth and the literary universe for as long as you wish to enjoy it.

First published as part of the Libraries Are Essential Campaign in 2021

Pauline Tait is a prolific novelist and children’s author. Based in Perthshire, Scotland, she writes both suspenseful romance and children’s picture books for 3 to 7 years. With a background in Primary Literacy Support, Pauline is passionate in encouraging children in their own reading and writing.

Visit Pauline’s website – https://paulinetait.com

by Maressa Mortimer

I love the summer, especially when the days have a summer feel to them: warm, and dry. Every year, I think of waterplay for the children. There are different play styles in our family when it comes to water. Some need the water to be the right temperature, and they’re tired of it as soon as it has touched their toes. Others want to be wetter than wet and splash and play for hours and hours.

The water needs to be ready for play before they have lost interest, and it needs to be refreshed and cleaned easily enough for it to actually happen. So, we tried almost everything. We had the little water table, which was great when they were younger. It took three minutes to fill and ten minutes to clear and clean. They couldn’t sit in it, which was the downside for some of them, even though they tried...

We bought a proper toddler pool, easily set up, the box assured us. It wasn’t all that easy, especially as our garden is on a slope... It took a long time to fill, but also provided a long time of fun. The cleaning time also fell into the ‘long’ category...

We bought a few paddling pools over the years, but in the end, the best buy was those shells that go together. We filled both shells with water, one for sitting in and one for Playmobil and playing with toys. Easy to fill, easy to use and quick to clean.

Of course, paddling pools aren’t the only things causing chaos in the summer. Reading peacefully for a few minutes can be hard. I quite like reading on my phone, but that’s hard in the sunshine. Finding the perfect spot is needed: I can see the kids, I am in the sun, and my phone is shaded enough for me to read... By that time, some of the children will have tired of the water and need help sorting themselves and their toys out...

With June finally here, and summer not far behind, hopefully, there will be some calm days where you can enjoy the sunshine without too much chaos before or after!

Maressa Mortimer is Dutch but lives in the Cotswolds, England with her husband and four (adopted) children. She a homeschool mum and pastor’s wife, so her writing is done in the evening when peace and quiet descend on the house. Maressa’s books are available from her website, www.vicarioushome.com, Amazon or local bookshops.