Programs for Babies in Public Libraries

Kathleen M. Flatow

Since children's services were introduced in American public libraries in the 1890s, services extended to this segment of the population have continuously increased. Now, 100 years later, children's services are an important part of library operations and a new trend is developing. That trend is the extension of public library services to the youngest members the community, babies.

Increasingly, libraries are offering programs that focus on children two years of age or younger. It is happening locally, nationally and even internationally as libraries expand services to their youngest customers. Programs take various forms, too. They include packets for newborns and their parents, lapsit and story-time programs, reading programs, bibliographies (a form of reader's services for the very young) and educational programs for parents that will ultimately benefit their babies.

Libraries are focusing on this age group for a number of reasons. First of all, it is good public relations for the library. Second, some maintain that such programs promote literacy, help develop reading skills and encourage a love of reading that the child will carry with him or her through life. Finally, these programs are said to promote the general welfare of the community as a whole by reaching underserved populations, such as teenage parents, and teaching them nurturing skills that directly benefit their babies.

Whatever the reason, many libraries are embracing these "baby" programs. However, many other libraries still do not offer children's programs to those under the age of two, although such programming may be under consideration. Recently, I called the children's departments of 21 libraries in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago to find out if they offered any programming for this age group. Of these libraries,12 offered some sort of programming for the very young. These programs ranged from "Teddy Bear Time" for infants to two-and-a-half-year-olds at Park Ridge Public Library, to infant inclusion in family storytimes at various other libraries. Babies are welcome to participate in the "Read to Me" program at Indian Trails Library and to attend drop-in craft programs at quite a few libraries. Attendance with a caregiver, usually a parent, is always mandatory. Of those libraries that offer a lapsit-type program on a regular basis, the most popular program appeared to be one called "First Step" offered once a month. Arlington Heights, Fremont and Highland Park libraries all offer this lapsit program with age of entry beginning at 12 or 18 months, depending on the library. Very few libraries I contacted offered a structured program for babies under the age of 12 months.

In 21 contacts, I only encountered one negative reaction to the idea of programs for children under the age of two, and that may have just been a personal opinion and not the library's official stand. That librarian said that even two-year-olds do not sit still, and she could not see the point of programming for those under this age. Contrary to this attitude, most libraries stressed that even if they do not have formal programming for babies, they try to make their children's areas "baby friendly" with puzzles and plenty of board books.

In addition, other libraries do offer packets to parents of newborns. Highland Park Library does this with its "Welcome to the World" packet, which is distributed to newborns and their parents at Highland Park Hospital. The packet includes information about the library, a board book and simple puzzles.

Some libraries in this group also offer occasional programming aimed at providing a positive library experience for the baby or toddler and his or her care-giver. These programs include songs, stories, finger-plays and simple activities that the child and parent can do together.

Overall, I was impressed by the enthusiasm expressed by the librarians I talked to. A librarian at Cook Memorial Library noted that they get requests for programs for this age group all the time and are evaluating the possibility of adding such programs in

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response to this demand. Grayslake Library noted that they are contemplating a program that encourages parents to register their babies and toddlers for library cards. They hope to stimulate interest in the program by offering a free board book for those who register. Baby programs are a service that's in demand, as noted by a librarian at Barrington Area Public Library, which will offer its first lapsit programming this summer.

This is not just a local trend in the north and northwest Chicago suburban area, though. To promote baby programs, the American Library Association has sponsored a video called "Libraries Are for Babies, Too!" This is a 1995 video tour of Maine's best library programs for babies.¹ The video emphasizes the idea that libraries should provide baby programs as a pre-reading experience. The library can be a positive force in the community in the nurturing of reading and literacy skills and can provide an opportunity for the parents of these children to meet and interact while at the library. The video describes a number of baby programs that are being run successfully in Maine and also shows how these programs can successfully become outreach programs. A positive experience with the library at this age can lead parents and their children to continue their contact with the library and to use its services as the children grow. A number of programs, including distribution of a Friends of the Library USA (FOLUSA)-sponsored "Books for Babies" packet, "Mother Goose Time," "Small Is Beautiful," and "Finger Fun for Babies," are discussed and previewed. These programs are relatively low cost, easy to execute and excellent public relations tools for libraries.

American Libraries focused on another aspect of baby programs in a December 1995, article about the ALA's Association for Library Service to Children committee's "Born to Read" project. The objective of this project is to "partner public libraries and health-care facilities to promote the importance of rearing healthy babies in body and mind."² Three libraries were awarded grants to participate in this three-year project. These libraries were in Henderson, NC; Provo, UT; and Pittsburgh, PA. The program involved teaching parenting skills and introducing parents to the library and its services. Programs such as "Book Babies" and "Mother Goose Time" were part of these projects. The three libraries met with success in reaching their goals, and the "Born to Read" programs have been introduced in other libraries since then. ALA's continuing support of this type of literacy support program shows the growing trend to incorporate baby programs in public libraries throughout the United States.

Other programs abound throughout the country. The Marshall Public Library in Pocatello, Idaho, offers a "Book Babies" program for children ages 0-24 months and their parents. The library's homepage provides a link to a description of this program. Its goals are:

to help (the) child start early with books and enhance his/her language development (and) to help (parents) learn more about children and have the opportunity to meet other parents and babies.³

The importance of linking books, babies and libraries extends beyond our national borders, too. The British Columbia Library Association has published a page on the Internet called "Books for Your Baby and Toddler."⁴ The page lists titles and authors of "good reads" for babies, noting that "enjoyment of books (tasting and chewing!) at this age will pave the way for more involvement with books as your baby grows and develops."⁵ Even as far away as New Zealand where the H.B. Williams Memorial Library "serves the 45,000 people of the Gisborne and East Coast district,"⁶ the library's homepage states that "the library supports lifelong learning and encourages people to visit the library well before they read 'words.'"⁷ They also offer "Baby Book Kits" to babies bom at the Gisborne Hospital. These kits include "a membership form, advice for parents about suitable books for babies, books for parents about babies and parenting and an invitation to visit the librarians of H.B. William Memorial Library."⁸

Similar kits are routinely offered by libraries closer to home, too. As mentioned earlier, Highland Park Library does this. In addition, the Itasca Community Library offers kits to parents of newborns through its "Hug a Baby, Hug a Book" program. An Itasca librarian described this project as "a Welcome Wagon for babies."⁹ Roselle Public Library also offers such a service to its area residents.¹⁰

A recent posting to the listserv PUBYAC (a listserv for those with an interest in young adult and children's services in public libraries) asking what programs were offered for children ages 0-18 months drew numerous responses from across the country. Librarians from Ohio, Washington, New Hampshire, Nevada, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Illinois were among those who responded. All responses enthusiastically described programs and very positive results, indicating that library-sponsored baby programs do fill a need in communities. Recognizing this need and the interest in such programs, the Public Library Association (PLA) devoted a session to baby programs at its March 1996, convention. "Babies Love Libraries: Library Service to Infants and Toddlers" appearing as a PLA program clearly shows the current interest in this concept of programming.

During the past decade, the Illinois State Library has also recognized the importance of serving babies and their parents. By sponsoring a grant for the Decatur

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Public Library's Baby TALK program, it has helped to join public libraries with other community institutions, such as school districts, hospitals and literacy projects, in providing a needed service to the community. It is interesting to note that in a 1987 survey done for Decatur Public Library, "87 percent of respondents were unaware that the library contained materials usable by children under two!" ¹¹ This model program featuring lapsit storytimes, family storytimes, resource sharing, newsletters and parenting classes has clearly changed this perception. Use of the libraries in the Decatur area has increased dramatically. In fact, it was noted that

Baby TALK families are using the library in record numbers. Picture book circulation...is higher than ever. Most gratifying to BabyTALK and to the library staff is the number of non-traditional library users who seem to be coming in because of BabyTALK.¹²

Baby-oriented programs certainly can be effective public service as well as marketing tools for public libraries.

Thus, we can see that public library programming for babies is popular and seems to fit a need in many communities. As a public relations tool, these programs bring people into the library where they can become aware of the many services the public library has to offer parents as well as the children who are the initial focus of the programs. Whether the program is a lapsit storytime, a gift packet for newborns and their parents, or something as passive as a bibliography of library board books, it is a way for the library to open its doors to people who might otherwise be unaware of all the services libraries offer. Promoting reading and literacy is an important goal, and baby programs may be one way libraries can instill a love of reading in our children. This cannot be measured in any objective way, but it is an admirable goal. More significantly, though, these programs can help to bring whole families into the library. They help them to connect with other families and community resources, and they bring them into the library to introduce them to the wealth of resources and information the public library can offer.

Notes

1. Libraries Are for Babies, Too!, Smith Atwood Video Services, Inc., ALA Video/Library Video Network, 1995, videocassette.

2. April Judge, "Nurturing a Baby's Love of Learning," American Libraries, December 1995, 1134.

3. "Book Babies," Marshall Public Library Homepage, <http://spidaweb.eils.lib.id.us/mpl/bbabies.html>, accessed 2/10/97.

4. "Books for Your Baby and Toddler," British Columbia Library Association, Young Adults and Children's Services, <http://www.interchg.ubc.ca/bcla/yaacs/src/baby.html>, accessed 2/10/97.

5. Ibid.

6. "About the Library," H.B. Williams Memorial Library Homepage, <http://www.bpc.co.nz/library.about.html>, accessed 2/10/97.

7. "Children's Services," H.B. Williams Memorial Library Homepage, <http://www.bpc.co.nz/library/chilsec.html>, accessed 2/10/97.

8. Ibid.

9. "Libraries Deliver Books for Newborns," Chicago Tribune, 10 April 1995.

10. Ibid.

11. Claudia Quigley, BabyTALK: How to Make it Work! (Decatur: BabyTALK, 1989), 4.

12. Ibid., 21.

*Kathleen M. Flatow is a student in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University (formerly Rosary College) in River Forest, Illinois. She is employed as Assistant Programmer, Youth Services Department, Ela Area Public Library, Lake Zurich.

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