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| View of the Reading Room |
Last Sunday I went along to the Children's Book Festival at the State Library. It was absolutely fantastic! There were so many fun things to do and it was all FREE. There so many families there enjoying the day, participating in the many activities, meeting authors and illustrators, watching performances, creating and walking through the Sticky Maze and enjoying the roving performers. Queues of people waiting to get their books signed by Andy Griffiths, Sally Rippin, John Marsden, Terry Denton and others stretched from the library steps to Swanston Street. These Australian children's authors are recognized and idolized as rock stars!
A huge array of fun activities were spread in the rooms of the State Library, even in the gallery rooms where the walls were covered in original historical paintings and surrounded by statues. Children were playing with Lego, creating headbands, and writing stories in the normally silent Dome Reading room - side be side with teenagers and adults reading and studying. Hundreds and hundreds of people explored the State Library, a building which is always open to the general public and is a must see on your next visit to the city.
The State Library has planned many initiatives to bring families into the library, so that is not seen as a place just for university students, scholars or 'professionals'. There are always free school holiday programs and families are encouraged to come in and have a wander around the glorious building. Of particular interest is the Dromkeen exhibition of original artworks from Australian picture books. In the levels surrounding the Dome Reading Room there is a fabulous history of our state in artworks and writing. You can even see Ned Kelly's actual armor. It is a sight to see, as well as the views looking up to the domed roof and down to the Reading Room below.
I encourage all families to visit the State Library the next time you are in the city and to watch out for next year's Children's Book Festival. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy my photos. ( I haven't quite worked out how to organize photos on a blog so they are a bit out of order!
Denise
 Making Where the Wild Things Are headbands in the Dome Reading Room while people are studying
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| Dromkeen sculpture of mythical creatures and book characters. Can you see Hush from Possum Magic? |
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| Ned Kelly's armor at the State Library |
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| Entrance to the Sticky maze |
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| Inside the Sticky Maze. This was rather special. |
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| Andy Griffiths and Sally Rippin sign books for their fans |
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| What would Sir Redmond Barry think having all of these people in his forecourt? |
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| The Dromkeen sculpture of The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek statue from the book of the same name by Jenny Wagner and Ron Brooks |
 State Library Swanston Street |
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| Original picture book artworks from the Dromkeen Collection |
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| Forecourt of the State Library |
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| Dromkeen exhibition |
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