Virtual Storytimes Aotearoa during COVID-19
Schools, libraries and early childhood education centres are keen to ensure that New Zealand children are still able to enjoy all that a good book has to offer during these unsettling times. Providing storytimes for children through online platforms is something that New Zealand authors and publishers and the cross-sector organisation, The Coalition for Books, are committed to supporting. We aim to make the process as easy as possible for publishers, authors, teachers, early childhood educators and librarians.
This page contains a list of publishers who have given their permission for librarians and teachers to create online storytimes (in accordance with the guidelines below), and it will be updated regularly.
You will also find links to New Zealand children’s authors’ own readings and content that can be linked to; this means you may not need to create your own readings. If you come across an author who is doing their own reading and which isn’t listed, please do let us know via ellie.coalitionforbooks@gmail.com and we will add it to the list. In this way, we can create a new online storytime community – a positive outcome from COVID-19!
There are copyright implications with this kind of initiative, and with the support of Copyright Licensing New Zealand we have created guidelines below which publishers, who are offering their books through this process, ask libraries, early childhood education centres and schools to follow.
AN UPDATE – MOVING TO LEVEL 1 (4 June 2020)
Special arrangements will remain in force until 30 June 2020.
We are delighted to hear that over 630 virtual storytimes have been recorded by New Zealand’s public libraries alone since late March. Thank you to all creators for their efforts, and for creating a wonderful resource for New Zealand communities.
Since New Zealand looks likely to move to Level 1 in June, Virtual Storytimes Aotearoa recordings should be removed by 30 June 2020 unless creators have negotiated permission direct with publishers to retain them after that date. Please ensure you contact publishers direct before 30 June 2020.
Otherwise, you can keep recording and sharing virtual storytimes up to June 30, but all recordings must be removed by this date.
We would like to encourage creators to CONSIDER SHARING YOUR RECORDING WITH THE PUBLISHER. Publishers may be keen to post recordings online themselves, with your agreement. If you are happy to share a copy of any of your virtual storytime recordings with the relevant publisher from the list below, please contact them before you destroy the recording.
TO KEEP RECORDINGS ON PLATFORMS AFTER 30 JUNE 2020: Libraries and educators can negotiate directly with a publisher from the list to share or retain specific virtual storytime recordings, but this must be done by June 30. Contact the relevant publisher to request permission to retain any specific virtual storytime recordings on your platforms or social media channels after June 30.
Contact details for New Zealand publishers can be found at https://publishers.org.nz/members/. Or contact Jill at the Coalition for Books if you need help to find contact details for individual publishers.
ONCE PERMISSION HAS BEEN OBTAINED, please advise PANZ which virtual storytime recordings you have negotiated to share or retain with publishers and this will be recorded.
LIBRARIES: Please ensure your library keeps entering the following information for each virtual storytime here until June 30, including your library name, the book title, ISBN, Author(s) and Illustrator(s), the link to the reading online.
Guidelines for virtual storytimes
1. Please use technology that does not allow a live-streaming or recording to be downloaded by the public. You can use Zoom, Facebook Live, Vimeo, and YouTube as well as others. It may be necessary to adjust the default settings to prevent users from downloading your broadcast.
2. If you upload a video or host a live-stream, please ensure that you designate the content as ‘Unlisted’ not ‘Public’ when uploading. You can point users to your content via your own website or through your social media.
3. If you use an open-platform (one that isn’t only available to your customers) please log the following details of the stream or recording and send to afc@copyright.co.nz (NB. Public libraries please enter these details into this spreadsheet.):
- Your organisation’s name
- Book title
- ISBN
- Author/s and Illustrator/s
- The link to the reading online
This information will only be used to ensure that the content is taken down following the conclusion of the period the permission has been provided for.
4. Once the agreed period ends, teachers and librarians agree to destroy all recordings, and take down any online recordings from their platforms. These storytime or read aloud live events may not be maintained in the archive of the social media platform and appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that videos of the live events are not retained. Because these platforms automatically archive live events by default, when your event has concluded, please locate the recorded live video in your account (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and delete it.
5. Please acknowledge the book’s title, author and illustrator and the publisher at the start of your reading.
6. Please ensure you select the setting for your videos as “made for kids“. This will meet YouTube requirements for compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and/or other laws. This can be done at a channel and specific video setting level. More information on this is available here.
7. When you’re streaming or posting, please tag authors and publishers where practical so that they can connect with your audience too.
If you have any questions about how this guide applies to your particular circumstances, please contact Catriona Ferguson – catriona@publishers.org.nz.
Publishers
The following publishers have kindly given their permission for copyrighted works to be used for STORYTIME during Level 4 Lockdown – a big thank you to them!
Milly Molly Children’s Publishing
Penguin Random House New Zealand
Te Papa Press – for the titles He Paki Taonga i a Māui and Māui’s Taonga Tales
Walker Books – see also their guide to creating virtual storytimes.
Virtual storytimes
LOCKDOWN STORYTIMES
Kyle Mewburn
Kyle Mewburn’s FREE LOCKDOWN DOWNLOAD! Zombie Ponies of Fairweather Farm
NEW ZEALAND AUTHORS READ THEIR STORIES ONLINE
Rebecca Beyer & Linley Wellington
The Marae Visit by Rebecca Beyer and Linley Wellington, illustrated by Nikki Slade Robinson, read by Rebecca Beyer
Joy Cowley
Three stories by Joy Cowley
My Sloppy Tiger by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Peter Stevenson
Anne Kayes
Tūi Street Tales and Tūi Street Heroes (select ‘read aloud’ in menu)
Margaret Mahy
Down the Back of the Chair, written and read by Margaret Mahy
Kyle Mewburn
Kyle Mewburn’s Storytime Channel
Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! By Kyle Mewburn, read by Yvette Carol
Moon Cow, written and read by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Deidre Copeland
Old Huhu, written and read by Kyle Mewburn
Peter Millett
The Anzac Puppy by Peter Millett and Trish Bowles, read by Peter Millett
David Minty
My New Red Car, written and read by David Minty
Ruth Paul
Stories by Ruth Paul
Duncan Eddy
Uncle Duncan’s Storytime
NEW ZEALAND STORIES ONLINE
Little Rabbit and the Sea, by Gavin Bishop, read by Ruth Paul
Snake and Lizard, by Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop
The Longest Breakfast, by Jenny Bornholdt and Sarah Wilkins, read by Baz MacDonald
Waiting for Goliath, by Antje Damm, read by Baz MacDonald
Aroha’s Way, by Craig Phillips – a helpful book about the emotions associated with anxiety
Sunflowers Don’t Grow in Winter, by Emily Holdaway, illustrated by Craig Phillips
Moa’s Ark, by Peter Millett, art by Shaun Yeo, read by Lucy Hiku from Itty Bitty Beats
The Goodbye Chair, by Jo Carson-Barr, illustrated by Simon Barr, read by Saskia Scott
The Chill Out Chair, by Jo Carson-Barr, illustrated by Simon Barr, read by Wacky Wod
Waata the Weta: Can He Find the Perfect Home? by Jo Carson-Barr, illustrated by Simon Barr, ready by Wacky Wod
The Sava Chair, by Jo Carson-Barr, illustrated by Simon Barr, ready by Wacky Wod
TE REO MĀORI STORIES ONLINE
Paraweta (Poo Bum), by Stephanie Blake, read by Karena Kelly
He Paki Taonga i a Māui (Māui’s Taonga Tales): Whakapiri mai ki a Māui me āna paki taonga mā ngā tamariki mai i ngā kohinga taonga a Te Papa. (Join Māui as he shares stories for tamariki based on taonga from the Te Papa collection.) The book evolved out of the animated television series made by Production Shed: He Paki Taonga i a Māui, edited by David Brechin-Smith, Munro Te Whata, Te Hana Goodyer, Izzy Joy Te Aho-White, Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho, Josh Morgan, Miriama Grace-Smith, Ariki Brightwell, and Reweti Arapere; Te Papa Press 2019 (There is also an English version available from Te Papa Press, Māui’s Taonga Tales). And see here for an interview with te reo Māori expert and award-winning singer-songwriter Ranea Aperahama and award-winning screenwriter David Brechin-Smith on The Sapling website.
Te Reo Singalong Books author, Sharon Holt, has created a site for children and teachers to use for free during the 4 weeks of lockdown. Each week day will feature a different Te Reo Singalong book complete with 3 videos: one with the author introducing the book, one with the song, and one with a fun activity. The previous books will remain there for viewing.
