Bookstart
Bookstart (established in 1992) is a national scheme offering free books to every child and advice to every parent. It encourages parents and carers to share books with children from a very early age and is based on the belief that children introduced to books at an early age start school with an advantage that can last throughout their life.
The provision has now been extended with the addition of two extra schemes. Bookstart Plus now also issue a pack for toddlers aged 18 months and pre-school children aged 3 years, as well as babies aged 8 months.
The Bookstart pack (8 months) contains:
- a canvas shoulder bag
- two board books
- a nursery rhyme book
- a guidance leaflet on sharing books called 'Babies Love Babies'
- a 'Welcome to Bookstart' booklist
The Bookstart Plus pack (18 months) contains:
- a bright coloured nylon satchel
- two books
- a colouring pad
- a pack of crayons
- a 'Numbers are Fun' bedroom frieze
- a set of 'Bookplates' which are colourfully illustrated stickers for children to place in their books
- a booklist and guidance leaflet
- a booklet entitled 'More Things to do With Books!' which focuses on early language and listening skills
The Bookstart Treasure Chest (3 years) contains:
- a treasure chest
- a colourful plastic bag with two picture books
- a book of ideas focussing on early language and listening skills entitled 'Treasure'
- a fiction and non-fiction booklist
- a set of 'Bookplates'
- a pack of coloured pencils
- a barrel pencil sharpener
- an A4 colouring pad
For further information contact Christine Almond on 0161 253 7561 or burylibls@bury.gov.uk.
Story Start
To promote the importance of literacy in early years, Bury Libraries in partnership with the health authority developed the story start scheme. The scheme places a box of 30 good quality, multicultural picture books for young children in the waiting rooms of all health centres, clinics, doctors' and dental surgeries. These collections are intended to stimulate an interest in shared reading between young children and parents/carers whilst waiting to visit the health professional. These collections are rotated twice yearly.
For further information contact Margaret Vince on 0161 253 7218 or burylibls@bury.gov.uk
Story Times
To further develop early literacy story time sessions are organised at most main libraries. Story time sessions are aimed at under five-year-olds and their parents/ carers. Sessions are informal and on a drop-in basis. Staff or carers (if they wish) read stories to pre-school children from a range of picture books available in the library. Story time sessions are available in the following libraries at the times given:
Monday 2.00 - 3.00 pm Radcliffe Library
Tuesday 2.15 - 2.45 pm Whitefield Library
Wednesday 10.30 - 11.30 am Bury Library
Thursday 10.45 - 11.30 am Prestwich Library
Thursday 11 – 11.30 am Ramsbottom Library
Thursday 2.15 – 3pm Unsworth Library
Friday 10.30 - 11.15 am Tottington Library
Saturday 11.30 – 12.15pm (Monthly) Unsworth Library (Please tel: 0161 253 7560 for dates)
For Further information contact Alison Davies on 0161 253 5864 or burylibls@bury.gov.uk.
Book Crawl
Book Crawl is a reading scheme, originating from Bookstart, aimed at children between 0-5 years old. It is free to join and children who take part receive a Book Crawl membership card. Every time a child borrows books from the library they receive a sticker for their card. After 4 visits to the library the children receive a small gift and a certificate. There are numerous certificates to collect.
For further information contact Sarah Howell on 0161 253 7163 or burylibls@bury.gov.uk.
"Let's Start Reading"
This service is designed to provide local nurseries, playgroups and registered childminders with essential resource material to allow them to achieve their early learning goals. Each specially themed book pack contains 20 story and information books. These are loaned in a smart red briefcase for easy carriage.
The packs cover the following themes:
- Personal, social and emotional development - such as situation stories on families, relationships and going to the dentist.
- Language and literacy - an emphasis on developing a child's vocabulary with alphabet books, rhymes and poetry.
- Mathematical development – using colours to counting, shapes, size and sorting.
- Knowledge and understanding of the world – taking a look at pets, plants and how things work.
- Physical development - senses, touch and feel amongst others.
We are keen to fine-tune the service. A questionnaire is included with each pack that goes out so that carers can give us their suggestions and opinions. This feedback will then be used to improve the service even further.
For Further information contact Alison Davies on 0161 253 5864 burylibls@bury.gov.uk.
