Young Library Fan

The Burnside Library has many regular customers across a wide range of ages. We spoke to the grandmother of one of our youngest.

Judy Andruchowycz has been bringing her granddaughter Charlotte to the Library every week for more than a year. From the age of one Charlotte and her parents lived with Judy and her husband while they built a new house. “We formed a very strong bond,” says Judy. “Every Tuesday I would take her to the Burnside Library and she played with toys, dressed up and looked at books.”

Her favourite toy was Winnie the Pooh, who Charlotte called Big Ted. Judy says Charlotte would often dress up Big Ted and herself in matching outfits in her favourite colour - yellow.

Charlotte likes to look through the glossy magazines in the adult reading area – and is often found lying down between the couches! Judy says her granddaughter is stimulated when in the library and very curious. “Our visits really help broaden her outlook and she is so confident,” Judy says. “At one stage she just loved to sit in the big chairs at the entrance and she would go off and come back with pamphlets from the Council public display.” Her favourite one? The public toilet map!

Charlotte has special visits for music and events and tells her Nana “The Library feels like home”.

Judy says the Library is a one stop shop. “Charlotte gets to use the playground and learn, I get to relax and we can have a drink at the café.”