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4. Bookstart
The questionnaire sought
to identify to what extent involvement in Bookstart had provided a lever for
the strategic development of libraries early years services, by developing
new partnerships and through embedding it within other projects.
83 authorities (90%) said
Bookstart had enabled them to develop new partnerships and embed libraries
work within the Early Years sector. Only 4 authorities felt that this had
not happened for them.
Partnerships with health
were the most frequently identified. They were mentioned by 22 (24%) of authorities.
Many talked about Bookstart supporting partnerships with a wide range of health
providers –
“health visitors,
speech therapists, special needs HVs…” (Lancashire).
Others saw Bookstart as
being the central activity, which had enabled libraries in their area to engage
strategically with The early years agenda:
“Bookstart has enabled
us to secure a place on the EYDCP and Sure Start partnerships” (Bromley).
In Northamptonshire Bookstart
has enabled partnerships “with most of the major organisations involved in
early years”.
Other library authorities
had developed closer links with education through Bookstart. Birmingham libraries
work with Education on a sister project:
“Flying Start” takes
books for babies to hostels, works closely with health, produces book bags
for parents etc. (they do say imitation is the greatest form of flattery!)”
Other authorities talked
about developed links with adult and family education programmes.
“Better links with
local college – family literacy coordinator is on our steering group (Solihull).”
Overall most authorities
would seem to agree with Essex who explained:
“If Bookstart is hugely
powerful with a range of partners and has won a lot of additional funding
for us because:
- It impacts on ALL
children
- We can prove the
impact”
The fact that Bookstart
has been evaluated and that its impact has been recognised and identified by
research, is one of the main reasons why it has proved to be such a significant
partnership-development project for libraries. Responses demonstrate libraries
confidence in Bookstart; they feel they have a robust and respected project
with which they can approach partners.
5. Creating a library
service context for Bookstart 
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