Improving Learning

A Fife Councillor backs a call for every young child to become a member of a library as a matter of right.

The Scottish Book Trust says it would give children a better start in life by exposing them to books and nursery rhymes from an early age.

Supporters say it would help develop reading and writing skills, while also safeguarding the future of many under threat libraries.

Councillor Douglas Chapman said: "I attended a Bookbug session in Rosyth Library just before Christmas and mums, dads and children were having a fantastic time reading books and singing rhyming songs. We all want to give our youngest children the best possible start and I am backing the Scottish Book Trust’s call for every child to become an automatic member of their local library. Just in the same way our youngest children are immunised against measles or mumps, so becoming a member of their library could be seen as “immunisation” to promote their best start at school. We know that children who are exposed to books, reading and doing nursery rhymes at an early age get a head start at school and this scheme would encourage more and more parents to use their library with their children either independently or through a book bug session.
 
"Especially in the Dunfermline area where one of our greatest sons, Andrew Carnegie, went on to fund libraries all over the world, wouldn't it be fabulous if children in this area were to be the first in Fife to become automatic members of their library in Rosyth, Oakley, Cowdenbeath, Inverkeithing or at Duloch and Carnegie in Dunfermline ?
 
"There will be some local libraries that might be under threat of closure or reduced hours due to the austerity cuts and this is also a great way of saying we value our local library and the wide range of services that can be delivered by skilled librarians."