About us

Books for BC Babies is an early literacy and parenting resource focusing on the importance of reading, talking, singing and playing with newborns. The program takes advantage of economies of scale by central purchasing of materials for the resource kits, but contact with parents is all about the parenting resources available in each BC community and happens through local public libraries and local service agencies.  The Books for BC Babies family resource is delivered in partnership with community agencies that share the goal of early childhood development. In the majority of communities, public health nurses and health centres deliver the resource to the parents of newborns. 

Why libraries? 

“Although formal early childhood education varies significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction across Canada, nationally the public library is the only public institution addressing the learning needs of the preschool child. Research indicates that getting children to read and learn is the role that North Americans consider foremost in the public library mission. The role of public libraries in addressing the reading readiness of the preschool child is already significant and well established. This role becomes more significant as current research reinforces the crucial nature of the preschool years, for which society has yet to make public investments comparable to those for school-age children.”
from Public Libraries in the Priorities of Canada
by Wendy Newman

The Books for BC Babies program aims to create a positive association with books and the library for babies and their parents. Children’s staff in public libraries provide parents and caregivers with opportunities to learn language-rich activities to do with your newborn, show the variety of library materials that are available, teach how to choose books for your baby, and provide programs and library space where you and your baby can socialize with other babies and caregivers.

Public libraries also have parent resources, such as books, magazines and media about stages of infant and children's development, or effective parenting resources.  Public library staff live in their communities and are able to connect parents with local child development services and resource people.  Visit your local public library and ask about Books for BC Babies in your community.

How it works

Books for BC Babies is led by a steering committee of early literacy, public library, and public health professionals. The steering committee:

• Develops partnerships with provincial funding organization and service partners
• Selects and purchases/prints materials for the Books for BC Babies resource kits
• Distributes program materials to local communities
• Maintains the Books for BC Babies website

In your local community, the public library and other community agencies such as public health or hospital staff:

• Create relationships with local community groups and funding organizations
• Produce local library/community information
• Deliver the resource kits to parents
• Support parents through babytime programming, children’s collections and parenting resources