6. Libraries and Sure Start

Developing libraries’ awareness and engagement with Sure Start projects was one of the key aims of the The Library Association’s Early Years Advocacy Pack. The 92 authorities which responded identified 151 Sure Start programmes within their authorities and named 138 projects which they were partners in. This suggests a very high level of library involvement in Sure Start - involvement of around 92%.

6.1 How libraries are helping Sure Start

Responses indicated a rich variety of ways in which libraries were delivering Sure Start. This reflects the range of local situations and the imaginative ways in which libraries are responding. The main areas of activity can be grouped around 5 main headings:

1. Bookstart extension projects

Using the universal Bookstart entitlement as the starting point for a more targeted literacy intervention programme, these projects build on the links - particularly between libraries and health - established by the Bookstart programme. Other authorities were using the statistics collected for monitoring Bookstart as data for the creation of local Sure start targets. 22 authorities talked about using Bookstart plus or Bookstart-linked projects to deliver Sure Start:

• “Bookstart Plus in 2 districts - gifting at 18 months and 3 years” (Liverpool)
• “Bookstart ad reading promotion statistics of library membership and parents   reading to children from the Bookstart Questionnaire”  (Lancashire)
• “Deliver Bookstart Plus project for children aged 2 linked to Sure Start Centre in Penge” (Bromley)

2. Supporting projects with library stock and librarians’ skills in early years and family literacy

15 authorities cited this as a way in which their service was supporting the delivery of Bookstart.

• “Advice and support for parents on sharing books. Running storytelling courses for parents” (Enfield)
• “Supplying stock/storytelling sessions” (Norfolk)
• “We hope to deliver training about the values of books etc.” (Suffolk)
• “Training activities for parents” (Manchester)

3. Project management

8 authorities talked about their contribution to the management of their local Sure Start projects as a key area of activity:

• “Management Core Group Member, currently Chair of Parent Group” (Torbay)
• “On Steering Committee [producing outline plan]” (Coventry)
• “On interview panel for Sure Start manager” (Lancashire)

4. Workshops and events

13 authorities referred to hosting or organising events, workshops or reading groups as part of their strategy to deliver Sure Start:

• “Family Reading Groups” (Halton)
• “Workshops to promote literacy” (Croydon)
• “Staging community-wide events in library” (Islington)

5. Designated post

Recognising the limited capacity within most library services for intensive support, many Sure Start projects are using libraries as the base for dedicated posts, many of which are specifically for a Sure Start librarian. Other programmes are using ideas and language familiar from the Reader Development movement to create posts to help deliver Sure Start. Blackburn with Darwen has a full time Sure Start Reader Development Officer. Hartlepool has a Reader in Residence who has been appointed to promote literacy to families in the authorities two Sure Start areas.

6. Creation of special mobile collections

Book buses and designated mobiles, which take the library out of the library and into the heart of hard to reach communities, were mentioned by 7 respondents.

• “…Setting up a mobile book/toy library to visit early years settings in the area” (Staffordshire)
• “A mobile library which also provides access to the internet within the Sure Start area”  (Somerset)
• “Visits from the Bookbus to the [Sure Start] Centre” (Southampton)

Because Sure Start activities are generated by each community’s needs, many of the most imaginative library activities are “one offs”. For instance NE Lincolnshire described “a video aimed at encouraging library use by parents of reception class children which will be given out free in a library pack, beginning in September”.

Sure Start capital funding had allowed the enlargement and refurbishment of Church Street Children’s Library in Westminster.

However, some authorities did qualify their answers and indicated barriers which they had experienced to becoming partners in Sure Start projects. Communications failures, under valuing of libraries’ contribution and capacity within libraries needed for developing partnerships was cited:

• “Not a member, probably because we are not a member of EYCPD (Warrington)
• “They don’t seem to know what they are supposed to be doing”  (Nottingham)
• “The library service has too few children’s librarians”  (reason for not being fully involved - Oxfordshire)

6.2 How Sure Start is helping libraries

Library authorities were asked how they felt that their involvement in Sure Start was benefiting early years library provision. By far the most frequently cited benefit (by 51 respondents) was an increased ability to target hard to reach children within the community “to ensure social inclusion by … enabling us to develop libraries in more child and people friendly ways by listening to what people have to say” (Norfolk). Opening access to resources (staffing, stock and capital) which would allow this to happen was highlighted as a benefit by 13 authorities.

14 library authorities talked about how their involvement with Sure Start had boosted the profile of their early years services within the wider library service, across the community and with partners. “Library Services are now recognised as an essential part of joined-up childcare early years services in Penge” (Bromley). It brings libraries to the attention of others who might not have considered what we have to offer”(Westminster).

The benefits of partnership working were referred to by 17 library services. Somerset saw this as happening in three areas: “1. Gaining a range of advocates through partnership 2. Extending opportunities for joint approach to provision 3. Increasing knowledge re:client group and the role of other agencies”. Thurrock described how this increased knowledge of partners benefited parents who could be referred to partner services by library staff with a clearer idea of what the partner agency could offer.

7. Children in Situations of Deprivation not being Targeted by Sure Start