Osprey’s player Tyler Ardron recently joined children from the Swansea Valley at a special interactive reading session in Pontardawe Library.
The session was arranged as part of the council’s ‘Switch’ campaign which encourages residents to ‘save time and do it online’.
The aim of the afternoon was to show the children how easy it is to use the Libraries’ Ziptales service and remind Neath Port Talbot residents of how many valuable library and other council services can now be accessed online.
Available free to library members across Neath Port Talbot, Ziptales offers children aged four to 12 the chance to get online and have fun.
It allows users to access more than 500 stories, which include voice overs, animations, games, quizzes and much more. At the session the children enjoyed sharing their favourite stories with the popular rugby star.
A host of other library services can also be accessed online at www.npt.gov.uk/online, such as renewing books, CDs and DVDs, downloading e-books and e-audio books via the popular Borrowbox scheme, and accessing hundreds of free e-zine titles – on everything from fashion to fishing.
Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Councillor Ali Thomas OBE, said: “Children can benefit so much if they learn to love reading from an early age. It opens the door to a world of educational opportunities, helps their development, sparks their imagination and improves their linguistic skills.
These children are part of a technological age, so offering online opportunities such as Ziptales is a great way to encourage them to read more.
“Our Switch campaign is proving popular, since accessing key services online helps residents save time and, in some cases, money with opportunities such as downloading free magazines.
Our online services are a simple, user-friendly way for people to access the Council services they use most regularly, whenever suits them, and I’m particularly proud of the array of services available to our residents through our libraries.
The Council’s website also gives local people swift access to other useful online services via the Switch button, including registering to vote, ordering recycling equipment and parking permits and keeping up to date with the latest planning applications in the neighbourhood.
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