Following on from their ground-breaking first book, Delivering the Best Start, Rankin and Brock return to the subject of pre-school and early years library provision with contributions and case studies from innovators and experts around the world. There is a growing awareness of the significance of the first five years of life for intellectual, social and emotional development and early intervention is of political interest. This book provides knowledge and understanding about early language and literacy development and how young children become successful through enjoyable and meaningful experiences. Coverage includes: an examination of the key role of library practitioners who work with young children the importance of effective interdisciplinary teamwork for professionals working with the early years a focus on involving parents and carers and valuing their culture, language, heritage and community practical guidance given on setting up and running pre-school library services contributions and case studies from experts around the world. This book will be useful reading for early years professionals and librarians, those responsible for commissioning and delivering pre-school library services, students of library and information studies or childhood studies and practitioners undertaking practical early years qualifications.

Here’s a one-stop guide to help libraries with participatory design, open-ended play, and resources that contribute to an active learning environment for young children.

Considers legislation to expand Library Services Act programs to include public and elementary schools, certain colleges and universities, and neighborhoods with inadequate public library facilities.

Recent campaigns against the closure of local libraries have highlighted the strong attachment that many people feel to their library services. However, much of the focus of the campaigns has been on library branches rather than the broader question of the preservation and possible enhancement of the library service. Reductions in opening hours and the loss of professional staff may damage the service more than the closure of particular buildings. The provision of a library service is a statutory duty, but a number of councils have drawn up plans that fail to comply with the requirement to provide a ’comprehensive and efficient' service. A full assessment of the needs of the local population for the services is key. Guidance on how to assess local needs does exist, but more must be done to disseminate it. Although the future of public libraries may be uncertain there is opportunity for reassessment of their roles and how they are organised. The Committee saw many examples of innovative thinking about what libraries can offer to the local population, and a number of models of how those services might be provided. Councils which have transferred the running of libraries to community volunteers must continue to provide support otherwise failure may be viewed as closures by stealth. The Committee looks forward to the promised report, by the end of 2014, on the cumulative effect on library services of the cuts in local authority provision and the promotion of alternatives such as transfers to community volunteers