Meet #Chelmsford Libraries’ newest member, who lives 10,000 miles away

Six-year-old Scarlett Goody from Woongarrah, in Australia, visited the county as part of a holiday to see family in the UK, including a trip to meet her auntie who works at Chelmsford Library.

Keen to make her visit as special as possible, staff invited Scarlett to join the library’s Rhymetime Session, and become an honorary member, so she could borrow books throughout her stay in the UK.

Jo Woolven, Essex Libraries Area Manager, said: “It was fantastic to welcome Scarlett and her family to the library.

“She had a great time meeting some of the other children who take part in our Rhymetime sessions and, as a gift, donated a number of traditional Australian storybooks with the hope that children in Chelmsford will enjoy finding out more about Australia through reading the stories.”

The books donated include ‘ The Echidna and the Shade Tree’, ‘Wombat Stew’ and ‘Malu Kangaroo’ and are all now available at the library.

Scarlett’s aunty Julia Waters, a Senior Customer Services Assistant at the library, added: “I am often telling Scarlett about the library, so she really loved her visit and especially the Rhymetime group and all of the interaction involved.

“She loves reading, so having somewhere to come and get books during her visit to the UK was really important, and we hope she will be telling her own library back in Woongarrah about what we do in Chelmsford.”