Tea Gardens Library staff were kept busy this season, working with parents to keep children reading and visiting the library over the school holidays.

Activities began with a Pyjama Party in early December - complete with milk, cookies and bedtime stories. Since then, three school holiday activity sessions were run at the library, involving craft, games and of course, general fun and mayhem.

Both local children and children here on holidays with their families took part in these fun filled activities offered at the library.

The Summer Reading Club, or Read Around Oz 2006/07 as it is also known, was once again a highlight at the library this summer. The program requires children to read (either assisted or by themselves) 10 books over the school holidays and enter the draw for major prizes, including a portable CD player, gift vouchers for books and jewellery/clothing, books, DVD hire coupons and so on.

The Summer Reading Club runs each season Australia wide, and this was the third year it was featured at the Tea Gardens Library.

Tea Gardens Library assistant, Chris Shelly, told the NOTA that 41 children entered the competition this year, with a total of 31 entries completed. These 31 children were each awarded a prize at a presentation ceremony held at the library last week.

"Last year we had just 17 people who won prizes, so this year the completed entries have almost doubled, which is great," Ms Shelly said.

Tying in first place this year was Keiran Roth from Darwin and Ashley Beatty from Hawks Nest. Keiran took home a portable CD player and Ashley won a $50 voucher for Hawks Nest Newsagency and Convenience Store. Third place went to Jade Hunter from Tea Gardens who walked away with a $25 Vitamin Bead voucher.

Tea Gardens Library staff recognise the importance of continuing to keep children interested in reading and actively involved in books and visits to their library.

"Over the summer period the program aims to keep kids involved in reading so that they don't slip behind in the six to eight weeks that they are off school over the holidays," Ms Shelly said.

These organised events are free to families both living in and visiting the area.

Library staff would like to thank both sponsors and families for their continued efforts to help with the program.

Prizes for the Summer Reading Club were generously donated by Leading Edge Computers Tea Gardens, Hawks Nest Newsagency and Convenience Store, Tea Gardens Post Office, Tea Gardens Newsagency, Vitamin Bead, John Reed Books and Blue's Videos, as well as Friends of the Great Lakes Library Service (FOGLLS).