FRIENDS FUND BOOKS FOR BABIES

by Carol Luers Eyman
Outreach & Community Services Coordinator
Nashua Public Library

The Friends of the Nashua Public Library recently agreed to fund a pilot program to give a book to every baby born to a library card-holding family.

A brochure promoting library services for infants will be given to new parents at Nashua hospitals. In the brochure will be a coupon good for one board book. Parents will bring the coupon to the library's children room and show their library card, or sign up for one if they are eligible. Staff will take the opportunity to orient the family to the library's children services and materials.

Initial funding for the project is $1,000. The money will be used to purchase about 300 books for a small-scale pilot program in the fall. After the results are evaluated, more funds will be requested.

Children's librarian Kathy Bolton chose Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman and Silly Mother Goose by Mary Engelbreit as the titles to distribute.