Naju Public Library Expands Distribution Targets for 'Bookstart' Book Packages

A kindergarten in Naju conducting classes with books distributed through 'Bookstart' (Photo by Naju Public Library)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Naju Public Library announced on the 12th that it will expand the distribution target of the ‘Bookstart’ book package to include up to 3rd grade elementary school students starting this year.

The ‘Bookstart Movement,’ a social childcare support campaign supported by Naju Public Library, Naju City, and the Reading Society Culture Foundation, has been continuously promoted since 2010 as a social childcare support movement that provides the first book of life within the local community.

This program has received great response from local parents by providing opportunities for parents and babies to communicate more through books.

The library plans to distribute Bookstart book packages containing two picture books, expanding the target from 1st grade elementary students to 3rd grade, to about 2,300 children.

Infants aged 3 months living in Naju City to preschool children will receive the packages through connections with daycare centers and kindergartens, 1st graders will receive them at all 24 elementary schools in Naju (980 children), and 3rd graders will receive them mainly at remote and small schools.

Follow-up Bookstart programs involving book play activities for parents and children, as well as outreach Bookstart follow-up programs for children who have difficulty accessing the library, will also be operated starting next month.

Director Kim Sung-tae said, “To strengthen early childhood education, we will further activate the Bookstart Movement this year and do our best to ensure that more children can visit the library with their families.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.