All children starting school this September are invited to visit their library, pick up a My Little Library Book Bag, in Irish or English, and join the library if they are not already members. Book bags are available at the library throughout the summer. All families are welcome to join the library too, if they aren’t already members.
Wexford has five branch libraries located in the towns of Bunclody, Enniscorthy, Gorey, New Ross and Wexford.
This initiative was originally a pilot funded by Dormant Accounts Funding. The mainstreaming of the Little Library Initiative fulfils a commitment in First 5: a Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families (2019-2028).
My Little Library was independently evaluated with the results showing extremely positive feedback from children and their families and from library staff and early years educators. Parents reported that the book bag supported their children’s transition to primary school and gave them a new reason to visit and join the library.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman and Minister Heather Humphreys launched My Little Library Book Bag 2024, in June, which provides every child starting school with free books and invites them to join their local library.
Cllr. Pip Breen, An Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council says “The My Little Library Bag initiative is a wonderful programme offered to all children in Co Wexford starting primary school. Children get to collect a free book, and a library card wallet to keep, from their local library, Bunclody, Enniscorthy, Gorey, New Ross or Wexford Town. The children can join their library along with their families, and choose their own books to borrow, all for free, this will be the start of a lifelong love of reading for the children of Co. Wexford.”
The focus of the My Little Library – an initiative under First 5 – is to build strong links between young children, their families and their local library. For the past two years, children leaving the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme and starting primary school were invited to visit their local library to pick up a My Little Library book bag and take the opportunity to join the library.
This has resulted in tens of thousands of children collecting their book bags and joining their local library. In addition to My Little Library, younger children and their families were also invited to their local library pick up a bedtime story book to keep and join the library under the Little Book at Bedtime initiative.
For more information and to collect your Little Library Book Bag do please call to your local library or contact Wexford County Council Library Service by phone at 053-9196561 or by email at libraryheadquarters@wexfordcoco.ie