THE BOTTOM- Recenty the Book Start program was kicked off at the Queen Wilhelmina Library in Saba. Book Start is a program to stimulate reading and is based on the principle that children who have books read aloud to them as a baby experience more pleasure in reading and are more motivated to learn to read.

The program aims to enable parents with young children to enjoy books. No less than 85% of libraries in The Netherlands offer the Book Start program. The Royal Library of The Hague, with Sander van Kempen, introduced the to the libraries of the Dutch Caribbean, and sent all the material and kits.

Parents with infants, along with other stakeholders, were in attendance at the event. Dr. Ruth was the first to receive the kit that holds two Dutch books and one English book.

Presentation

During the launch, Public Health Nurse Tedisha Gordon from The Public Health & Sports Department gave a PowerPoint presentation about the Book Start program. Gorden touched on the importance of reading to babies and how this act also strengthens the bond between parent(s) and child.

The Public Health Department will collaborate with the library on this initiative, ensuring that at a baby’s first visit to the baby clinic, they can receive a voucher to come to the library and receive a Book Start kit.