Babies, toddlers and children of all ages have always been welcome in West Sussex Libraries. Every week, each library holds at least one event for under fives, such as Baby Rhyme Time, Toddler Time, Story Time and Story Magic sessions.
Each summer we participate in the national Summer Reading Challenge which encourages primary age children to continue reading during the summer holidays. Over 10,000 children enrol in the challenge each year across the county and they are supported by a team of several hundred volunteers, many of whom are under 25.
Throughout the rest of the year our Families and Wellbeing Team co-ordinate holiday activities and work in and out of the library. They work with schools, pre-schools, family centres, children with additional needs and other groups to promote and develop the library service to children in West Sussex.
Bookstart, a national book gifting scheme, is also promoted through libraries; any family not receiving a pack from their health visitor can ask at the library and we will obtain one for them.
All libraries have a range of stock for all ages:
- Board books for babies and toddlers
- Picture books for sharing, mainly with under fives
- Picture books for older readers, including comics and graphic novels for children up to 12 years old
- Beginner reads to support learning to read
- Story books for a wide range of tastes and abilities
- Teenage fiction
- Audio books – for younger and older children and sometimes with a book alongside
- Giant print and multi-sensory stories
- eBooks and eComics
- Non-fiction
Some libraries also have toy libraries where customers can borrow a range of different toys.
Access is available to all of the books in the county via the request system – requests are free for children requesting children’s books on a child’s ticket. Children’s books returned late do not have any fines. The largest libraries have additional material such as Braille, large print children’s books and books in other languages. They also have collections of books to help in special situations such as bereavement, family changes etc.
The Families and Wellbeing Team are able to help with this type of enquiry as they have a wide stock knowledge; enquiries are passed on to the local Families and Wellbeing librarian. They will also deal with enquiries from pre-schools, schools or any other groups (such as Brownies).
Please ask a member of staff at your local library if you would like to find our more information about the services provided to families in libraries.
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