Children of UWB employees spend the night in the library, poems and surprises are waiting for them

The UWB University Library is preparing a programme for children of university employees for the night of 13–14 June. As part of the Night with Andersen event, children will spend the night in the library and take part in games, creations and activities inspired by the works of Jiří Žáček.

"This time the jubilee of the Czech writer and poet Jiří Žáček, this year's patron of the Night with Andersen, is in the air. In addition to physical activities, children can play with poems, make luminous swallows and there will certainly be some surprises," said Miloslava Faitová, director of the University Library.

The event is for children aged 6–12 years. If you are interested in signing your children up, please contact the library by June 6 at knihovna@uk.zcu.cz. Capacity is limited. There will also be games and contests, a sports program and other activities. The children will sleep in their own sleeping bags and mattresses that they bring with them.

The Night with Andersen is organized at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen to promote children's reading, this year for the ninth time. In previous years, children have visited the magical world of Harry Potter or enjoyed games and competitions inspired by Ondřej Sekora's Ferda Mravenec.

Last year, for example, the children spent a night with Lucie Hlavinková's fairy tales from the book Herbal Grandmother. Besides games, a night trail through the campus or baking cookies decorated with herbs, there was also a nighttime surprise – the author of the book, Lucie Hlavinková, joined the children via video call and gave them details about the creation of the book or what other titles she is preparing.

The Night with Andersen is also organised annually by many other libraries in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The event, which has a tradition of more than twenty years, aims to show children that reading can be a great adventure. It takes place on the anniversary of the birth of the Danish fairy-tale writer, Hans Christian Andersen.