New Rotherham groups encouraging young bookworms

A NEW network of children’s reading groups has been launched in Rotherham to encourage more youngsters to pick up a book.

As part of National Libraries Day, Rotherham libraries threw their weight behind the Chatterbooks network.

The Chatterbooks scheme aims to inspire more children to read for pleasure.

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Any child aged four to 12 years old can register at any of Rotherham’s 16 community libraries.

Run by The Reading Agency, an independent charity working to inspire more people to read more, Chatterbooks reading groups encourage children to read adventurously, talk about books and visit libraries with their families.

The scheme has been working successfully since 2001 through public libraries and its ever-growing network currently involves 8,500 children in 560 groups.

Recent evaluation of its work showed that 99 per cent of the children involved are reading more and are more confident about reading.

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“Use it, love it, join it” was the key to this year’s National Libraries Day, held as a celebration of the work done in school, college, university, the workplace and public libraries to promote learning, literacy and the enjoyment of reading to all.

New and old library users across Rotherham were encouraged to go along to their local library and find out about the great services on offer—from book loans and homework clubs to advice on starting a business and how to get online.

Regular users were asked to bring a friend and gave them the chance to speak to library staff and find out exactly what services are available locally.

National Library Day also saw Rotherham introducing its Bookstart Bear Club, and again children and families can access the scheme at any library.

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The Bookstart Bear Club is the fun and free membership reward scheme for all babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

It opens up an exciting world of sharing stories, books and rhymes, as well as receiving rewards at your local library.

When children join the club, they are given a passport.

Each time they visit their local library and take part in activities such as rhyme times and story times their passport are stamped. Once they have collected six stamps, they receive one of a series of certificates.

There are ten certificates to collect including a golden one for those children who visit the library 60 times and who will also receive their very own Bookstart bear.

 

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