Public libraries provide reading packs for new parents and starter books for junior and senior infant pupils to promote reading and literacy from an early age.
Baby Book Club caters for library members age 0-3 years and their parents or caregivers. Baby Book Club models the combination of singing, talking, reading, writing and playing to parents. This combination has been shown to aid general development as well as help develop prereading skills including a family habit of reading.
Baby Book Clubs are currently running in Portlaoise, Portarlington, Mountmellick and Abbeyleix Libraries - contact the branches directly for more information.
My Little Library is a book gifting scheme where ‘Little Library Book Bags’ are made available to children who are due to start school in September. The bags can be collected for free by families and carers from their nearest library. Each bag contains a book for children who are starting school to help them prepare for this big step. Each child will also get their first library card, along with a special wallet to hold it, when they collect the bag.
Contact your nearest library for more information.
For further information, email library@laoiscoco.ie or call 057 8689338.