There were a handful of patrons in Waihī Library on Friday afternoon: adults perusing the stacks; some teens on a computer; and a furry, four-legged visitor curled up among the picture books.
Six-year-old Connie, an Italian Spinone, was visiting the library with her owner and handler Sue Hagen for a new free programme called Read to Kurī [a dog].
Every Friday, they will be available from 3-4pm for children to sit and practice their reading in a non-judgemental, safe space, by reading aloud to Connie. The programme is free, with each participant able to book a 10-minute slot with Connie and Sue.
The duo are part of Canine Friends Pet Therapy, a New Zealand-wide network of people who bring their dogs to libraries, rest homes, hospitals, and other places where they can have therapeutic benefits. Sue has been part of the group for around 15 years, with both Connie and her previous pets.
“It’s something that we can do together; it gives [the dogs] a bit of excitement, other than going to dog shows. I did agility with one of them, and that was fun, but I tripped and broke my ankle, so I stopped doing that,” Sue said.
The animals go through exposure testing before joining the Pet Therapy network, to ensure they are able to handle the uncertainty of unfamiliar environments and people.
“The assessment they do is just to ensure that she’s shock-proof, really… they dropped crutches on the floor around her and things like that.”
The spinone breed was particularly well-suited to library work, Sue said.
“They’re relatively calm, even though they’re big, and they’re just quite friendly,” she said.
“And she doesn’t stop wagging her tail.”
Read to Kurī has been running since May 16, and Sue said she was thrilled with the response so far.
“Last week a little girl had a book about a cat, and she wanted to read that to Connie, and she said, ‘is it all right? Will it upset her?’” Sue said.
“Some of the kids just lay down with her and read in her ear.”
Sue is learning too.
“There was one [child] that was probably nine, and she introduced me to graphic novels because I didn’t really know what they were,” she said.
The ages of the participants so far have varied, from five and just beginning to read, up to around pre-teen. Several of the children had been excited to find dog-themed books to show to Connie, Sue said.
Library staff member Shey Scott said the programme was just another way the library could encourage children to become more comfortable with reading, and with the library environment.
“Ideally we’d like children who are making a little bit of an attempt. But even if they can’t read and they just come along… that is getting the kids interested in the books and literacy,” she said.
“And the wonderful thing about Sue coming in with Connie is that the children all got books out afterwards. And they would probably not have made that trip in.”
“Just getting them in the door is a great thing, isn’t it?” Sue added.
“Libraries are such wonderful places.”
DETAILS: Read to Kurī at Waihī Library, every Friday afternoon from 3-4pm. Email hdc-library@hauraki-dc.govt.nz or call 07 862 8609 to book a 10-minute slot.
