Cork County Council Library and Arts Service is delighted to announce the roll-out of the ‘First 5 Little Library Initiative’ in Cork County. The project aims to support the development of little libraries in early learning and care settings and encourage a love of books and reading among our youngest children. 

A collaboration between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), under the initiative all Early Learning Centres and TUSLA registered child-minders in Cork County will be given free book bags and resources such as social story cards, an early years literacy booklet and information on Cork County Council Library services and membership.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, welcomed the new scheme, saying:

Reading in early learning and care settings is so important, igniting creativity, sparking curiosity and increasing the self-esteem of young children. This great new initiative builds on the work of the Right to Read programme which promotes literacy and reading for people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s a valuable initiative which will increase both the membership of our library network among early learning services and the love of reading among young children and their families.

The strengthening of connections between local libraries, early learning and care services and the families and communities they serve aims to encourage a new generation on a life-long love of reading.  All registered ELCs and childminders will be invited to collect their free book bags from their local branch or mobile library in the coming weeks.

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