Wicklow County Council Library service is linking with almost 150 pre-schools, playschools, Naonraí and registered childminders across the county with the handing out of Little Library Bags.
The Little Library Initiative aims to develop a consistent link between early learning and care service and their local library to encourage a love of books and reading among young children.
The First 5 Little Library Initiative will:
· Distribute a selection of books and resources to all early learning and care services, from your local library.
· Ensure that the same collection of books is also held in libraries which can be loaned out to young children and their families.
· Encourage membership and use of libraries among early learning and care services and among young children and their families.
· Encourage ongoing collaboration between the early learning and care services and libraries and support families in establishing or developing the practice of reading.
This is a significant initiative which officially links early learning and care services in County Wicklow to all 13 libraries around the county.
Wicklow County Council Library Service is encouraging all ELCs to get a group library card which will allow up to 30 items to be borrowed at a time. Library staff are keen to see children with their own library cards.
Director of Services with Wicklow County Council, Michael Nicholson, said: “Children aged from new-born can get the beautifully designed My First Library Card with their first membership and they can borrow 12 books each time. Early access to picture books and reading helps language development, paves the way for reading readiness and will ensure a more level playing field when children start junior infants”.
Each bag contains five story books and other reading resources for children selected by the national library service. Naonraí will receive five Irish titles and each general ELC will receive four English titles and one Irish title.
There will be a second tranche of Little Library Bags in October to tie in with Children’s Book Festival.
Please contact your local library or call 01 2866566 for further information.
