Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador

Books for Babies: Clarenville Area Laubach Literacy Council

Project Start/End Dates: start in April 2009 – open ended end date (to completion of distribution of all materials)

Initial Project Description: Books for Babies is a program designed to provide early literacy intervention for newborns and parents/caregivers. Reading is an important part of life-long learning. This project supports the belief that it is never too early to read to children. Books for Babies encourages new parents to make reading an element of their everyday routine.

With each child born at the G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital in Clarenville, free reading materials will be given to the family so they have access to books and can read aloud to their children. The aim is to improve literacy and numeracy skills for the Clarenville Area and province overall. The goals of this project include:

  • Encourage early literacy
  • Break the cycle of low literacy in families
  • Promote the benefits of reading to young children
  • Provide family members with access to books so that they can read aloud to their children

Project Outcomes: Outcomes for this project are currently ongoing, as it began in April of 2009. Public health nurses are distributing the reading materials as one activity of their health baby visits. The coordinators of the program will be interviewing the public health nurses to hear how parents responded to the reading materials.

Developed and hosted by NALD in collaboration with Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador.

This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Office of Literacy and Essential Skills.