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Little Library: Early Learning Centre Literacy project

My Little Library Bags for all children starting junior infants this year

To help children to navigate starting school, libraries have put together a bag of books just for them that can be collected at any library.

The ‘My Little Library Bag’ initiative is a collaboration between libraries, the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as part of the First 5 Strategy.

As part of the initiative, a ‘My Little Library Bag’ is available free for every child starting school in 2026 to help them to prepare for this big step. Children and their parents or guardians can collect the bags at any library throughout the country from Friday the 8th of May 2026.

Each My Little Library Bag contains:

  • Two books on starting school, making friends and being comfortable to be yourself
  • A story card about going to the library
  • A postcard the child can write or draw on and send to their new teacher, or bring to give to the teacher on their first day at school
  • Their very own library card and special ‘My Little Library’ cardholder

Book bags are available in both Irish and English.

Kilkenny Libraries can’t wait to welcome all the children starting school this September in to collect their book bags and begin their library membership journey.

We hope that once they visit the library to pick up their book bag, our new library members and their families will come back regularly to keep their bag filled up with borrowed books and to take part in storytimes, classes and all the other events we have to offer at the library.

The First 5 Little Library Initiative 2026 will:

  • The My Little Library book bag is now available in local libraries for all children starting primary school in September.
  • The initiative is available annually.
  • My Little Library Bags and books are available in Irish and English.
  • A glossary of the language in the Irish books is included in the Irish bags.
  • A collection of resources and information is also provided in each bag, including: a library social story card, Little Library colouring sheet, First 5 Guidance for Parents of Children Moving from Pre-School to Primary School, Dyslexia and the Younger Child by Dyslexia Ireland and Bookshare Ireland by Vision Ireland. Ireland has 330 public libraries, which are managed by the local authority in the area in which they are located.

This initiative is supported under First 5. Published in 2018, First 5 is a ten-year Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families. The Strategy works to enhance early childhood and make a significant contribution to the lives of young children, their families and society over the short, medium and longer term. More information can be found on the First 5 website at: www.first5.gov.ie/

·         This initiative is an action under the Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3f341-towards-a-new-literacy-numeracy-and-digital-literacy/

·         And

·         The Library is the Place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration - National Public Library Strategy 2023-2027. https://www.gov.ie/en/news/e6d8e-the-library-is-the-place-new-five-year-strategy-for-public-libraries-unveiled/