Nursery World - New pilot project to encourage disadvantaged families to visit their local library

A project to encourage families with children under five to use their local library and make sharing stories a ‘regular part of life’ has been launched by reading charity BookTrust.

Libraries across the country are to take part in BookTrust's Storytime project in the autumn, PHOTO: Katy Morton

More than 2,500 libraries across England are taking part in a pilot of the BookTrust Storytime project in the autumn.

Funded by Arts Council England, the project will bring together local authorities, library staff, authors and illustrators to test new ways of inspiring shared early years story experiences through local libraries.

The project will also incorporate BookTrust’s existing Storytime Prize, which celebrates the best early years children’s books. The shortlisted books for the prize are being announced today (Wednesday) - see below.

It forms part of the BookTrust’s new strategy to find the most effective ways to support families who need more help beginning their ‘reading journeys’. It is also hoped that the pilot project will help libraries reconnect with their local communities after a year of closures due to the covid-19 pandemic.

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