“Baby’s First Book” promotes early literacy

Released by the Athens Regional Library System:

  On July 1, employees of the Athens Regional Library System (ARLS) kicked off a months-long initiative titled “Baby’s First Book,” by taking 250 early literacy tote bags to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center. These bags contain a carefully selected board book, a library teddy bear, early literacy tips and programs for parents, and relevant recurring programming for infants that occurs at Athens Regional Libraries.

Baby’s First Book is an early literacy initiative aimed at promoting a love of reading from birth by partnering with local hospitals to distribute literacy-focused tote bags to new parents, creating a welcoming first connection between families and literature.

ARLS Public Information Officer, Darcy Calia, said, “Through this initiative, we aim to establish early literacy habits, encourage parent-child bonding through reading, and connect families to essential community resources and library services from the very start. We hope this will create a lasting impact on the Greater Athens Area by establishing a foundation for lifelong learning and community engagement."

Research consistently shows that early literacy experiences strongly influence cognitive development, vocabulary development, long-term education attainment, and even physical and mental health. Children who lack exposure to reading in their earliest years are less likely to meet critical literary milestones, which can impact their overall academic performance and lifelong opportunities.

“This is something I have been wanting to do for years. When my children were little, I had no idea about all the resources the library had to offer- there's such a variety of programs, activities, and things to do and check-out. I want every new family to know about all the free resources that the library has to offer them! I am so excited to kickstart each child’s literary journey by giving them their very first book,” said ARLS Children’s Services Coordinator, Rebecca Ballard.

Left to right: Morgan Friedman, Children’s Librarian Rebecca Ballard, ARLS Executive Director Beth McIntyre, Public Information Officer Darcy Calia, Jayleen Serrano, and Tammy Gilland, Director of Community Relations for Piedmont Athens Regional.

Every library in the Athens Regional Library System offers year-round programming for all ages, including infant storytimes, open play, meet & play, and more. The library system also has access to over 11 million books through PINES, leaving families with endless choices in early reading materials.

“Piedmont Athens is thrilled to partner with ARLS to promote early literacy,” said Tammy Gilland, director of Community Relations at Piedmont Athens Regional. “This new collaboration allows us to continue supporting families in building strong foundations for lifelong learning.”

The library system plans to donate 1,000 bags to new families. It hopes to use data and feedback collected from this initiative to secure additional funding for a longer-term program in the future.

The Athens Regional Library System consists of 11 branch locations, located within five counties in Northeast Georgia. Its mission is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that empowers individuals and communities by providing resources that encourage discovery, imagination, and life-long learning.