Chief Librarian, Ms. Suzanne Greenaway has said that libraries and literacy are an integral part of community building as the Territory observes Library Week 2024.

The week will be observed from April 22 to the 27 under the theme, “Libraries: Moving full STEAM Upstream” and is always scheduled to coincide with World Book and Copyright Day, which is celebrated on April 23.

Ms. Greenaway stated that the week’s activities are aimed mainly towards the Territory’s youth in order to foster an appreciation for libraries, promote reading, advance literacy, and highlight the department’s services to the community.

The Chief Librarian said, “Library Week is a special time when we celebrate the invaluable and unique role libraries have in a society. It is a time when we recognise that libraries transform lives, and build communities by providing the space, services, programmes and information needed by the community.”

Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Honourable Sharie de Castro will declare the week open on Monday, April 22 while the department will also have book displays reflecting STEAM in Book Hunts and Word Searches at all libraries.

The highlight of Library Week will be the launch of the Public Library’s new eBook OverDrive platform which has a digital collection of eBooks and audiobooks for adults and children, both fiction and non-fiction. Access is granted through the Libby Application which persons can download to their personal devices.

Other activities include visits from a variety of schools, science experiments and demonstrations to reflect the theme, arts and crafts, storytelling, introductions to eBooks, readings from local authors and visits by the library team to all library locations on the sister islands.

The week’s activities will conclude with the Dads’ Reach Out & Read Programme in conjunction with the BVI Reading Council on Saturday, April 27 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.  Other activities will include arts and crafts from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., and interactive games from noon to 1:00 p.m. for children ages 4 to12 years old. The public is encouraged to support the week’s activities by participating in the events.

Library Week was implemented in order to create awareness of the value of a public library and foster the love for reading. The department has library branches in Virgin Gorda, East End, Tortola and Anegada.

For more information, persons can contact the public libraries at the following numbers:

Virgin Gorda Community Library: 468-6534

Anegada Community Library: 468- 4991

East End / Long Look Community Library: 468- 9750 / 468- 503

The Library Services Department of the British Virgin Islands continues to provide globally competitive information through technology and various formats to meet the educational, historical, recreational and cultural needs of the general public of the Virgin Islands.