We provide a range of library materials and services for
children. We have a whole range of books, videos, cassettes and
CDs
Free advice
We can give helpful advice on choosing books for children,
including:
- Books for special times - lists of books written for children
which may help them cope with situations which are worrying,
unusual or just new to them eg divorce; adoption; a new baby in the
family, and so on
- An index of popular subjects for information books
- Spotlight promotions of authors
Entertainments and events
Entertainments and educational events go on in our libraries
throughout the year, including:
- Under-fives' storytimes
- Holiday storytimes and entertainers
- Craft activities
- User education sessions
- Bookstart and SureStart activities
- Talks to parents' groups
- Sign & Rhyme sessions for very young children
- Book talks in schools and libraries
- Visits to play schemes
- Arranging for schools and nurseries to visit libraries
- Blind or visually-impaired children visiting the Central
Library can also use our Kurzweil and Brailling PCs. These PCs can
"read" text out loud and can also convert text into Braille
print.
Regular Early Years activities in our libraries
We have lots of activities for children in our libraries,
including:
- Under-fives' storytimes
- Baby Play (all year round)
- Rhythm & Rhyme
- SureStart activities
Book ahead
Book Ahead is a national initiative providing books for loan to
early years groups such as nurseries and playgroups. As part of the
scheme we have expanded our early years collections so that we can
provide a wide choice of books, particularly picture books, to help
young children learn to enjoy reading.
BookStart
Bookstart is a national initiative providing free books to early
years children. We hope to instil a love of reading at an early
age, it has been proven that a good reader performs well across the
whole curriculum and it is never too early to start the reading
habit.
We supply health visitors with the Bookstart packs and these are
gifted to children at around 9 months and 18 months at the health
checks. Should you miss your visit from the the health professional
but would still like your Bookstart pack we have them at your local
library, please don't forget to take your red book along with
you.
We have two Library Outreach Workers for Bookstart & Early
Years who visit every early years setting in the borough to gift
the Treasure Box - this is the Bookstart pack gifted at around
three years old. The visit for gifting the packs is always a
special occasion, accompanied by a fun storytime, rhyme and singing
session.
Free internet access for "Young Surfers"
Children with permission from their parents/guardians can use
this service.
Teens: Read up, Fed up, have your say!
Read up, Fed up is a national online discussion and voting forum
for teens hosted by Piczo. The campaign aims to help adults better
understand what teenagers love reading as well as what turns them
off.
If you're interested in having your say then log or register to
join the Read Up, Fed Up Forum and join the conversation. This is
not just about what teens like reading, but what they really don't
like reading too - the aim is to get them thinking and talking
about reading.
