We are currently celebrating Libraries Week and this year’s theme is the role of libraries in the digital world. Libraries often provide free WIFI connections, information literacy classes, access to computers/digital devices, lend ebooks/digital resources and can direct you towards quality resources online.
In the Curriculum Centre, we’ve recently had a request for stories in audio format and we’ve taken a look at what is freely available online. Here are our suggestions.
1001 Stories
1001 Stories is a collection of audio and video recordings by leading storytellers of tales from around the world. It is possible to search for stories for a particular age group, stories that fall under a certain theme or stories from a particular place. The aim of the project is to provide 1001 audio and video stories online, so this website is one to keep an eye on.
Classical Tales
Classical Tales is a collection of audio and teaching resources produced by renowned storytellers Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden in collaboration with the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. It includes Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Aesop’s Fables.
RebelGirls
Stories from the popular Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series have been recorded as 12 minute podcast episodes. You can subscribe to the free podcast on the RebelGirls website to listen to the stories.
LibriVox.org
This website has audio files of stories that are now out of copyright. So stories such as Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Five Children and It and Peter Pan can be freely downloaded and listened to.
Nosy Crow Stories Aloud
Finally, publishing company Nosy Crow have built digital audio content into each of their paperback picture books. To access it, connect your smartphone or digital device to WIFI and scan the QR code which is found on the inside cover of their picture books. More information about their digital audio content is available on their website. Or come into the Curriculum Centre and take a look at A bear is a bear (except when he’s not) by Karl Newson to see an example.
