It is hoped that, in addition to promoting adult literacy in the borough, the project will contribute to widening family reading choices. For the past four years there has been a strong partnership between the local Adult College , the CIAS , local schools and the Library Service to run family literacy courses. Evidence from parents themselves has shown that supporting their children's learning is a great motivator. Partnership with Parents courses have been running for the last two years and consist of five two-hour sessions which take place in schools. These courses aim to help parents to support their children's literacy at Key Stage One.
Sessions cover how children learn to read, spelling and writing.
A key session is led by library staff. Library materials for the whole family are taken into the school, the librarian shows parents examples of the range of library services available and encourages families to join and use the library. The Family Reading project develops this approach and expands the library service's role in family reading. An essential strand of the project has been the appointment of a Family Reading Librarian, on a temporary contract, who will play a full part in these Partnership with Parents courses. The successful candidate is Freda Price who has both a strong commitment and considerable experience of working with families in the borough as she has managed Rectory and Fanshawe libraries for several years.