'Novel' idea aims to promote importance of reading with young children to their parents or guardians

Bookworm Babies has grown from strength to strength in the last 5 years with an increasing number of parents and babies coming along to the library every week to introduce Donegal’s youngest residents to the joy of reading.

“We will be celebrating Bookworm Babies 5th birthday this week during Right to Read Week” says Maureen Kerr from Donegal Library Services and the Right to Read Co-ordinator “it has proved to be a great way of spreading the joy of reading to our youngest residents in Donegal, and this helps create a positive approach to reading in later years.”

Dr Mary Roche, who first launched the initiative back in 2013, will be back in Donegal to help celebrate the success of the programme at a special birthday celebration on Friday 5 October at 11am in Central Library, Letterkenny.

Dr Mary Roche

In addition Dr. Roche will also be hosting an evening event for parents, early educators and junior school teachers called ‘Getting children off to a great start: talking and thinking about picturebooks in the early years’ in Central Library, Letterkenny at 7pm in Thursday 4th October.

Bookworm Babies is an initiative of the Library Service, Lifestart and the HSE under the auspices of the Donegal Children and Young People’s Services Committee to promote the importance of reading with young children to their parents or guardians.  It is one of a number of initiatives introduced as part of the Right to Read programme in Donegal bringing together local authorities and local bodies in supporting literacy and reading development.

Sarah Webb

Award winning-Irish Children’s author Sarah Webb will also be in the county for Right to Read week when she delivers a workshop for primary school pupils in Central Library on Monday 1st October followed by an early years family workshop for 0-3 year olds and their parents based on her recent title “A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea” on Tuesday 2nd October.

Full details of all Right to Read week events are available at www.donegallibrary.ie or follow Donegal County Library on Facebook or Twitter.