Information for families in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bookstart - BCP Council Libraries

Bookstart - BCP Council Libraries logo

Bookstart Baby Packs

A Bookstart Baby Pack is gifted to you in your baby's first year.

You will receive a pack from the Birth Registrar when you register your baby's birth.

If you fail to receive one for any reason, you can still collect it from a library.

Packs for children with additional needs

Bookstart is for every child, so families are entitled to any of these packs in addition to standard Bookstart packs. To order a SEND pack contact libraryliteracyofficers@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

  • birth registrar
  • health visitor
  • health clinic
  • early years setting
  • local library

SEND packs available:

  • Booktouch - for children who are blind or partially sighted. Available for ages 0-2 or 3-5
  • Bookshine - for children who are deaf or have a hearing impairment. Available for ages 0-2 or 3-5
  • Bookstar - for children with a condition or disability that impacts on the development of their fine motor skills. For ages 3-5 only.

Books for children with an additional language at home

Dual language books in over 30 community languages are available for children in families who speak little or no English. To find out which languages are offered and to place an order contact libraryliteracyofficers@bcpcouncil.gov.uk   

Babies can join the library from the day they’re born. It’s free for everyone to join. Babies and children will receive a warm welcome in the library, don’t worry if they make a noise!

Every library has books to share and fun activities for all the family, including Rhyme times, Toddler times and Storytimes. Parenting advice and first issues and situations books are available to borrow in the children’s library. You can find additional resources and more about Bookstart from the national website. www.Booktrust.org.uk

View all details
Venue/Contact Details
Area coverage
BCP Area
Directions
See Journey Planner on the right-hand side of this page, where you can view bus, car and train routes from your location.
Times and Costs
Opening times:
Bookstart packs are given at birth registration by Registrars.
Further opening details:
  • Afternoon
  • Morning
  • Daily
Availability
  • All Year Round
Costs:
This is a free service.
Ages, Booking Details and Referral Information