More than 1,300 young children in Louth have benefited from the My Little Library initiative this year, according to new figures released by Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley.
The scheme invites every child moving from pre-school to primary school to visit their local library, collect a free book bag, and sign up as a library member. The book bags available in English and Irish are designed to support families during the transition to primary school and encourage early reading.
In Louth, 1,340 children have already collected their bags, with almost 20,000 children expected to join libraries nationwide through the initiative this year.
Minister Foley said she was delighted with the high level of participation locally, noting that reading with children “not only supports connection between parents and their children but also promotes early language and literacy development.”
A small number of Little Library book bags are still available in libraries for families who haven’t yet collected theirs.
The initiative aims to strengthen links between young families and their local library. Each bag includes books in Irish and English, as well as helpful resources such as First 5 guidance for parents, a library social story card, and information from Dyslexia Ireland and Vision Ireland.
