1,114 young children in Wexford have benefited from the 2025 Little Library Initiative

Each year, every child leaving pre-school and starting primary school is invited to visit their local library to pick up a free book bag and take the opportunity to join the library as part of the ‘My Little Library’ Initiative. So far almost 40,000 young children across Ireland have collected their bag and taken the opportunity to join the library if they weren’t already a member.  In Wexford, 1,114 children have picked up their little library book bag.  While many of them are already members of their local library, many children across Wexford will join the library this year because of the My Little Library funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. The books and resources in the book bag, which is available in both English and ‘as Gaeilge’, support parents and their children in the transition to primary school. Welcoming the figures of young people engaging with their local libraries across Wexford, Minister James Browne TD said: “I am really proud to support the My Little Library initiative for children and their families and welcome the high levels of participation all around the county from Enniscorthy to Rosslare. We should be so proud of our libraries, our librarians, and our local authorities for the work they do in making sure that libraries are spaces for everyone across our communities.  “The gift of reading to and with children on a regular basis cannot be overestimated. It not only supports connection between parents, guardians and their children, but also promotes early language and literacy development which is crucial for children’s success in their education journey. “There is still a small number of Little Library book bags in libraires for any five- and six-year-olds who have still to collect their bag. I encourage all remaining families to avail of this initiative and to join the library in the process.” The focus of the My Little Library Initiative is to build strong links between young children, their families and their local library.  Books in the My Little Library Initiative are available in Irish and English. A glossary of the language in the Irish books is included. A collection of resources and information is also provided in each bag. This includes a library social story card, 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.