Schools Library Van

Schools Library Van

A new schools library van has been launched by Limerick's Mayor, Cllr. Dick Sadlier. This service will bring books to children in all primary schools in Limerick City.

The response from teachers has been very positive as they welcomed this new initiative. The schools van will carry approximately 5,000 books thus giving children a wide range of authors and topics.

The cost of the van, which included purchase, graphics, shelving, fit out and technology was €89,000. Limerick City Council funded initial book stock, which cost €40,000.

The objective of the service is to foster reading development in children. Therefore it is essential to make books available to children at an early age.

An International Reading Literacy Study carried out in 2001, proved children in England to be very good readers, achieving third place internationally, behind Sweden and the Netherlands. More than 80% of children in England are regular library users, borrowing books from schools or local libraries to read "for fun". In New Zealand and Slovenia, the best readers are also the most frequent library users.

The study confirms that libraries, in their most basic form as collections of good books, retain a fundamental role in early education around the world, playing an integral part in introducing young children to books and encouraging them to read. Thirty five countries participated in the 2001 study. (Ireland was not one of the countries surveyed.)

Photos from the launch of Schools Library Van