Project “Time to meet! The libraries of Gulbene region are closed

Publicēts: 12.11.2020

Gulbene County Library was the initiator of the project “Time to Meet!”, The aim of which was to promote the availability of literature and the development of the cultural environment in Gulbene municipality, especially in Tirza and Lizuma parishes, also in Gulbene city. The project included a series of meetings in a classic format, where the writer meets with the children's audience, reads his texts, discusses. The epidemiological situation in the country changed the dates of the meetings a bit, but it did not diminish the interest of children and teachers in any way.

The project started in September, when the writer and poet Inese Zandere arrived. She visited children and teachers in Tirza and Lizum. Her name and works do not require any special comments. It was a pleasure to see how the little readers know and have fallen in love with the images created by the writer - both the Lupatiņi family and the poems from the latter's books "Līze Analīze" and "The Child Who Did Not Fall". During the meeting, the children had the opportunity to listen to poems that will be included in the two new poetry books "Birds See Us" and "Cat on the Piano", and the poet gave the children some attractive tasks to cheer up, not to let the little listeners get tired. At the end of the meeting, the children were shown a 5-minute animated film "Choir Tour".

At the beginning of October, writer and a little poet Evija Gulbe is expected to visit Lizuma and Tirza. She is the author of seven children's books and began her literary career with the adventures of two rat boys, Coco and Rico, which have been compiled in three books (now in their fourth book) and these two rats are now ten years old! The writer told how the story of two rat boys came about, as Evia asked her friend Linda, an artist, to draw some rats. And it gradually, as if completely unintentionally, reached the competition and as a result the first book about the rat boys Coco and Rico was published. Evia told the children about how these stories are made; showed how beautiful, colorful drawings are made (from sketches to the final results already processed on a computer - pictures we see in books) and together with children played three exciting games - "LET'S TAKE A SECOND!", fishing and fly fishing.

Back in October, 2 writers were welcomed. Agnese Vanaga was the first guest. She met her readers at the Gulbene Children's Library. Agnese is the author of the book Plastic Hooligans and Yard Encyclopedia. She told about the history of making books, about the green lifestyle, about the importance of sorting waste on a daily basis, and shared a crossword puzzle about the environment with the children.

On October 29, the writer Luīze Pastore visited Gulbene and Tirza. Her book series, Art Detectives, teaches children the facts about Latvia's famous artists and their work through an investigative game. The author's book The Mask Mask is also on the lists of books recommended by many schools. During the meeting, the students took an active part in the detective game, where it was important to read, observe and see carefully in order to achieve a successful result.

At the beginning of November, writer Laura Vinogradova, who is the author of both children's and adult books, visited Lizum and Tirza. This time the listeners were children. During the meeting, the children learned why and how the writer started writing. We also learned how the hero of the book Snīpulītis came to his name and how the book itself was made. It was also possible to find out and say who really lives in the forest? The writer asked if the children had ever seen any of the animals mentioned in the fairy tale books "Mežpasakas" - deer, woodpecker, ant, wolf? The children were happy to tell them which animals they met and when!

The performance ran without noticing how new characters and stories are created on the spot with the help of children's imagination. Encouraged by Laura, the children co-wrote a fairy tale about a hare and a snake who moved from the city to the countryside.

All meetings were held in accordance with all epidemiological safety rules - in October and November, all adults, including the authors, were in face masks, protecting themselves and others!

The project received financial support from the SCCF.

Thank you to the teachers of Lizuma and Tirza, as well as to the teachers and children of Gulbene secondary school!

Solvita Lībere
Gulbene County Library