Narrate your own story with new library service

Library members can record story times with their children through a new free digital storytelling service.

County Durham Libraries, run by Durham County Council, has teamed up with Featherbed Tales to bring a new kind of storytelling where readers can record themselves as the narrator.

As the second only library provider in the UK to start offering this service, library members can choose from nine books to record from which can then be saved as a story to play for their children.

Adults can also record their children narrating the story themselves, which can make a heart-warming keepsake to save or send and share with friends and family.

Using Featherbed Tales, the creator of the service, library members will be guided through the process of narrating their own shelf of memories to share and treasure.

The stories are available from the council’s library webpage where members can use their library card number to access the tales.

Cllr Elizabeth Scott, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “We are delighted to be the second library service in the UK to offer this trailblazing digital scheme to readers. Featherbed Tales is a unique way for families and friends to stay connected by creating special digital keepsakes.

“Whether you record your own voice to narrate stories for your little one to enjoy, or whether you record your own child as they read, this service brings a fun new way of storytelling for families to share.”

Caroline England, founder and creator of Featherbed Tales, said: “It is great that Durham County Council is introducing our exciting new digital service to residents through their libraries.

“At a time when concerns have been raised around speech, language and reading development for young children throughout Covid, this new service provides a fun way for children to practise reading and listening back to themselves to support their ongoing development as well as giving immense joy to other family members.

“Receiving a recorded story has been described as being given the gift of someone’s time – the most precious gift of all. We love that grandparents and other loved ones can have this new way of feeling a part of their little ones’ development too.”

More information about the storytelling service can be found at durham.gov.uk/featherbedtales.