Article: Barnsley MP signs Bookstart pledge
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Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis celebrated National Libraries Day on Saturday by calling in to Barnsleys Central Library, Shambles Street, to experience the wide variety of services on offer.
While there he took time to sign the Bookstart 20 pledge, a promise to share 20 books with children during 2012. He demonstrated this commitment by reading The Gruffalo by Childrens Laureate Julia Donaldson to the delight of the children, families and Bookstart Bear who were spending the morning visiting the library.
As Shadow Culture Minister, Mr Jarvis is a strong advocate for Libraries: Libraries offer a place to learn, to socialise, to connect, to access the arts and enjoy literature and the news, he said. Libraries teach children that reading really is fun.
The Bookstart scheme is one of the ways that libraries spread the message that its never too soon to enjoy books with children and Barnsley Libraries welcome members from birth.
Cllr Jenny Platts, Cabinet Member for Adults and Communities also signed the Bookstart 20 Pledge. She said: It is never too early to share books with children, and libraries and the Bookstart Scheme provide all families with the opportunity to introduce their children to stories, books and reading, giving them an important start in life.
The Bookstart 20 pledge is part of the year-long celebrations to mark the national Bookstart programmes 20th anniversary. Since it began in 1992 the book-gifting programme has given away 30 million books to children, with over 131,000 of these being gifted in Barnsley.
With the current funding due to end in 2013, Bookstart is asking parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and carers to sign a Bookstart pledge as a demonstration of support which will help to secure the programme continues to benefit future generations.
Anyone wishing to sign a Bookstart 20 pledge or find out more information can do so by calling into their local library or visiting the Bookstart website.