The children have spoken — reading’s cool again

LIBRARIES are back on the list of cool places to be as thousands of Aussie kids sign up for membership every week.

About three quarters of children aged 6-12 and almost half of under five-year-olds are card-carrying members of their local libraries.

The Great Australian Reading Survey found more than two thirds of parents with children across all age groups visited public libraries.

Innovative and creative programs have helped membership numbers soar, said Queensland Regional Access and Public Libraries director Louise Denoon.

“There’s been an enormous growth in outreach programs,” she said. “Librarians now go to football games, community centres, medical clinics, parks and even prisons taking books out into the community and they get a great response.”

But it’s not all about books — many libraries increasingly focus on teaching coding and robotics. “Everyone needs to learn how to read, but now they also need to learn coding and those digital literacy skills,” Ms Denoon said.

She said there was no age limit for a library card and some parents signed up their newborn babies.

Professor Sharon Goldfeld, of Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, said exposure to reading and literacy could help a child develop language skills. “If you’re reading to your child, even if you’re just looking at the pictures and having a discussion with them about the story, you’re helping their vocabulary,” she said.

Readers can collect a free copy of Possum Magic and collector’s case with our Great Australian Storybook collection, starting this Saturday. Details: greataussiestories.com.au