Babies into Books (Bibs) is an early literacy initiative developed by Camden Council’s Library Service.
The program has been developed for parents, carers and babies aged 0-18 months old to promote the importance of reading and literacy to young children in the Camden LGA. This is an important long term strategy to promote literacy and lifelong learning with the view to increasing high school retention rates.
Bibs was initiated in 2002 and has progressed in three stages. The program involves a short lapsit session in the Library or at a playgroup with the Children’s Librarian. At each lapsit session the Children’s Librarian reads with the parents/carers to the babies and the group shares finger plays, songs, nursery rhymes and puppet stories.
All new babies in the Camden Local Government Area (LGA) also receive a free board book when they become members of the Library.
Talking, singing, sharing nursery rhymes and reading is a wonderful way of bonding with your child. Reading times can be a time of closeness and peace in a busy world. This tradition of sharing stories and communicating in song and rhyme is an important part of our culture and libraries. The aim of the Bibs program is to assist parents/carers to share in this tradition and to give their children opportunities to acquire the building blocks of literacy.