5. Creating a library service context for Bookstart

Many library authorities have developed their Bookstart programme, embedding it in a wider framework of early years literacy activity. Bookstart is frequently acting as a lynch pin for a range of broader language and learning work. The most common sign of this is the development of “Bookstart Plus” activities.

58 (63%) of responding library authorities described additional Bookstart extension activities. By far the most common of these was Bookstart Plus, offered by 36 (39%) of authorities. This project normally involves follow up activities focused on additonal book gifting at 18 months. Bookstart Plus was generally described as being focused on particular areas within the authority, usually corresponding to Sure Start, EAZ, or SRB areas:

“Yes - [Bookstart Plus] in the first of our Sure Start zones and hope to introduce the scheme in our second … Trying to sustain and extend the year 2 EAZ based book giving project and funding is being sought from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.”  (Blackburn)

Sure Start was cited as the funding source for Bookstart extension activities in 17 (19%) of responding authorities. A huge range of other funding was cited including EYCDP, Health Action Zones, the charity Reading Is Fundamental, EAZ, SRB, Standards Funding and local sponsorship. Library funding was mentioned by 12 (13%) of responding local authorities.

It is interesting to compare this with the funding picture uncovered by a similar recent Library Association survey of public library study support activity – a comparable area of expansion for libraries’ services to young people. This uncovered a similarly wide range of funding. However it significantly revealed a much greater number of library services directly funding activities. 36% reported an ongoing commitment by the library authority to resourcing study support activities. [ 2 ]. This suggests that the current pattern of libraries development of early years services is reliant on external funding to a far greater extent than other areas of service development. It raises the question to what extent would authorities step in to core fund this area of activity, when and if external funding sources dry up. There is a need for continuing advocacy at national and regional levels to support the mainstreaming of libraries’ early years work.

Apart from the Bookstart Plus activities, Bookstart extension projects reflected the range of partners that Bookstart had allowed libraries to develop, especially with health and education:

• “Librarians have visited Health Centres and Health Visitors have held clinics in the library” East Riding of Yorkshire
• “We have developed Road to Reading with Community Education, where the skills of parents are addressed in particular wards” Durham
• “Have also run courses for parents in partnership with health and the adult college” Barking and Dagenham

One authority (Hillingdon) talked about using Sainsburys - the national sponsor of Bookstart - as a local sponsor for developing additional Bookstart based activities.

6. Libraries and Sure Start