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Books for Babies

In the Community

The first year of Books for Babies saw the launch of this project in collaboration with Prospects Literacy Association. The project encouraged parents with low literacy skills or few financial resources to read to their babies on a regular basis. The intent was to enable young children, who would otherwise be in a disadvantaged position, to develop lifelong language and reading skills. The project consisted of both a mentoring component and the distribution of book bags.

In the first year, the League succeeded in designing and producing 125 sturdy book bags, selecting six baby books that met the criteria and collecting other literacy resources to insert into the bags, along with a Shaw bear. A number of successful library orientation and mentoring programs were developed with the Jasper Place and Sprucewood branches of the Edmonton Public Library, with the referral of new mothers and babies coming from West Jasper Place and Eastwood health centres of Capital Health. These sessions included the distribution of the book bags and free library cards for the participants, a library orientation and tour, Mother Goose Rhymes That Bind sessions and a mentoring program for reading to babies.

The League committed $25,000 to this project over three years. In the spring of 1999, the League was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Edmonton Community Lottery Board so that Books for Babies could expand over the following two years.

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