Developing life-long readers: Why it’s important and how YOU can help!
Libraries should always be an accessible and welcoming environment for children as they are growing up. They have the power to play a significant role in their cognitive, social, and emotional development. However, The National Literacy Trust said that 32.9% of children don’t visit their school library at all, while 3.9% sadly don’t even have a library available at their school…
Many children are missing out on the amazing benefits of either a public or school library space.
Here are some key reasons why libraries are essential for children and young people's development:
- Access to knowledge – a library provides children with a wide range of books, magazines, and other educational materials, all of which help expand their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
- Encourages a love of reading – libraries often offer storytelling sessions for children, which can foster a love for reading that can last a lifetime.
- Builds social skills – libraries often host group activities and events where children can interact with their peers, helping them to develop social skills and a sense of community.
- Quiet and safe space – libraries provide a quiet and safe environment for children to read, study, and explore. This can be especially important for children who may not have access to such spaces at home.
- Promoting literacy – libraries promote literacy by offering a variety of age-appropriate reading materials. Reading from an early age has been proven to enhance language development, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
How do we encourage more children to take advantage of the library?
In 2023, the National Literacy Trust said that three times as many children who perceived their reading environment to be supportive said they enjoyed reading compared to those who perceived it to be less supportive. This report simply demonstrates the importance and value in creating a welcoming and supportive space for children to use.
After discussions with librarians nationwide, WF Education designed a range of age-appropriate book browsing furniture to help create the supportive environment that children need!
Everna™ Discovery is a comprehensive range of kinderboxes and book browsers created to engage and encorage children to read for pleasure. Available in two shapes, three heights and four colours with options for all book types, the range offers you real choice to put the perfect browsing space together.
Here are 3 ways book browsers can help:
Face-up display:
Librarians suggest child-height kinder boxes are working better to attract children to read compared with more traditional shelving. It allows for many books to be displayed on their front cover instead of their spine, which is more engaging for kids who usually come to the library without a specific book in mind. Kinder boxes are made to expand their choice of reading materials.
Immediate access to reading:
Librarians said one of the biggest challenges they face in encouraging children to read is their lower attention span and patience. This generation is used to having immediate access to any sort of information they need thanks to the internet and digital materials. Kinderboxes fulfill this need as they’ll usually be placed in a dedicated children’s space in the library with easy access to their favourite literature. And even better if they’re mobile!
Flexibility of space:
Mobile kinderboxes and book browsers give you real flexibility over your space. The castors mean you can reconfigure your library quickly and easily to accommodate events and storytelling sessions for children. Mix up your children’s area by regularly changing the materials on display to encourage curiosity and browsing.
