Little Libraries programme helps public libraries grow young bookworms

But when a young child falls in love with books, it's rarely because of one person or one programme. It's because they're surrounded by people who make stories part of everyday life. A kaiako who reads with joy. A whānau who shares bedtime stories. A librarian who recommends the perfect book. Welcoming places where books are easy to discover and treasure.

One of our biggest insights in the Little Libraries programme is that books are only one piece of the puzzle. The greatest impact happens when they're part of a thriving local literacy ecosystem.

That’s why our connection with public libraries feels so important.

Founded and administered by the Values Trust, Little Libraries is a philanthropic early literacy initiative supporting early learning services across Aotearoa. The programme provides each recipient centre with 22 award-winning books by New Zealand authors and illustrators, alongside interactive forest-themed book shelving displays and storytelling resources. We’ve reached over 300 early childhood services so far.

If there's one thing we've come to appreciate in our mahi, it's this: books and beautiful reading spaces matter, but relationships matter even more.

We continue to be inspired by the way many recipient centres have built meaningful relationships with their local public libraries. Together they're creating something much bigger than any one organisation could achieve alone.

One wonderful example is Te Aroha Noa Early Childhood Centre in Palmerston North, where a partnership with Te Pātikitiki Library has helped transform the centre's culture of stories and reading. When regular visits to the library became difficult, the library found another way by bringing weekly stories into the centre through a trained volunteer. 

More than a year later, "Jean's Storytime" has become a much-loved part of centre life, with stories and craft activities thoughtfully designed by the library to complement the children's current learning. 

The impact has reached far beyond a weekly session. Tamariki - including those who previously showed little interest in reading - are choosing books more often, growing confident oral language skills and developing a genuine excitement for stories.

It's a powerful reminder that literacy doesn't belong to one organisation. It grows through connection.

As Little Libraries has grown, our thinking has evolved too. Our aspiration has never simply been to place books into early learning services. It's to help support environments where every child has the opportunity to discover the joy of reading.

Public libraries are already leaders in this mahi. Every day, you create welcoming spaces for tamariki and whānau, champion New Zealand authors and illustrators, nurture curiosity and help make reading a joyful part of life. Little Libraries simply creates another opportunity for stories, books and communities to come together in the lives of young children.

If an early childhood service in your area has been gifted one of this year's Little Libraries, we would love to encourage you to reach out. Whether it's inviting a centre for a library visit, offering a storytelling session, helping families sign up for a library card or simply introducing yourselves, these local connections can have a lasting impact. 

We're also keen to hear from libraries that know of early learning services in their areas that could benefit from a Little Library in the future. Your local knowledge is invaluable in helping us reach the tamariki who stand to benefit most.

Together we can help ensure every child grows up surrounded by stories, books and people who love to share them.

Thank you to everyone across the public library network who has supported Little Libraries over the years. We look forward to continuing this shared kaupapa together - one story, one relationship and one little bookworm at a time.

To learn more about the Little Libraries programme, visit: www.littlelibraries.co.nz

MaiLynn Stormon-Trinh