Young Readers Program

The Young Readers Program encourages Victorian families and caregivers to read to their children.

It does this by providing professional development to maternal and child health nurses, early childhood workers and public librarians specialising in children's literature and providing literacy resources to families with young children.

The Young Readers Program aims to:

promote the importance of reading to young children
provide professional development for Victorian maternal and child health nurses, children's librarians, early childhood professionals and childcare staff
promote family involvement in young children's literacy development through reading together
promote the involvement of community support in helping families and caregivers value literacy and reading for pleasure
increase access to books for families and caregivers with young children
improve literacy outcomes in Victorian children
support Australian children's literature

The program provides a 'rhyme time' booklet and DVD to every four-month-old child when they visit their local public library or maternal and child health centre. Every child is also given an Australian picture book at their two-year-old maternal and child health visit. Information about early literacy and supporting adult literacy is also made available.

All books in the Young Readers Program are selected by a reference group. Chosen books must:

appeal to children and parents from diverse cultural backgrounds
stimulate children's imagination
give emphasis to repetition and rhythm for language development
be written and illustrated by Australians

Dates and details of professional development sessions can be found in What's on. Sessions are provided across regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.

The Young Readers Program is a partnership between the Library, the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and the Municipal Association of Victoria. It will run from March 2008 to April 2011.