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I saw this mentioned on the news yesterday and was quite surprised it seemed to be regarded as something new - it appeared to me the BBC had just not quite got the angle of their news item quite right. Certainly here in Slough Bookstart has been running for a few years and our own Bookstart and SureStart Officers have managed great strides in pulling parents and young children into the library. The books in Bookstart bags (which are now being supplemented with further books and gifts for children as they get older) are free gifts but children *are* encouraged to visit the library as much as possible, and a great many do. If you want to see the effectiveness of Bookstart in Slough, come along to our Music Times - up to 50 under 5s plus parents at each session, lots of whom stay afterwards to read and borrow books. Our only worry is we're running out of space for all the pushchairs! Angela Wright Librarian: Children's and Young People's Services Slough Libraries -----Original Message----- From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Frances Hendrix Sent: 24 July 2005 22:25 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Bags of Books: Sure Start, wonderful idea, missed opportunity? What a wonderful idea this is, but where is DCMS, MLA and public libraries in this scheme? Surely a deal could have been struck whereby all bags of books had an invitation to the family/parent/carer, and the child, inviting them to the library to 'swop' the books once they had been used, or take out more books.,telling them about the stock of the library and the other many services libraries provide to children and the whole family., and with a life membership card to the library for the child? is this a case of no joined-upness again? Frances Hendrix The Laser Foundation Martin House Farm, Hilltop Lane Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley Lancashire. PR6 7QR Tel: 01257 274833 Fax: 01257 266488 'Disclaimer: You should be aware that all e-mails received and sent by this Council are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and therefore may be disclosed to a third party. (The information contained in this message or any of its attachments may be privileged and confidential and intended for the exclusive use of the addressee). The views expressed may not be official policy but the personal views of the originator. If you are not the addressees any disclosure, reproduction, distribution, other dissemination or use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error please return it to the originator and confirm that you have deleted all copies of it. All messages sent by this organisation are checked for viruses using the latest antivirus products. This does not guarantee a virus has not been transmitted. Please therefore ensure that you take your own precautions for the detection and eradication of viruses.'