We're committed to bringing the library service to the whole community, including those who for various reasons are unable or unlikely to access the services we provide in our main building.
Our Outreach Team deliver special programmes, events and services to children and adults in various settings beyond the main Library.
To deliver Outreach services we work with a variety of outside agencies, including:
Homestart
We regularly visit Homestart’s Dragonflies groups to run a story and rhyme time with the families there. Homestart also encourage their families to attend the Library for events, so their families can get used to the Library and find out more about the services we offer.
The Kindred Family Centre
We visit the Kindred Family Centre drop-in every fortnight to run a story and rhyme time with the families there. We also work with the family support team to provide information about the importance of early literacy skills for the Incredible Years Parenting course.
Bright Beginnings Children's Centre
We visit Stay and Play sessions at Bright Beginnings once a fortnight to run story and rhyme time, as well as providing sessions about the importance of reading and early literacy for their parenting and mental health support groups.
Guernsey Voluntary Service
We run 'Rhyme Together' sessions at the Jubilee Day Centre, where families with children under 4 join seniors for a story and rhyme time, followed by the chance for a play and a chat.
Guernsey Prison
We manage acquisitions for the prison library, and provide advice on library systems and procedures, as well as running a very popular book request service. Staff also visit regularly to support the orderly librarian in running the library.
We also work with staff at the prison to run the Storybook Dads scheme, where prisoners are recorded reading a bedtime story for their children to listen to. Watch this TEDx video to find out more about the scheme.
Other Outreach services include:
Sensory Stories
Story and activity sessions for children with additional needs and their families, run with the support of Wigwam.
Community Libraries
We are always working to enhance the services offered by our volunteer-run community libraries. We run regular rhyme times at both the St Saviours Community Centre and La Nouvelle Maraitaine.
Find out more on our community library page.
Tea & Tales at the Guernsey Alzheimer's Association
Once a month we meet at the Guernsey Alzheimer's Association Centre for our Tea & Tales Book Club: shared reading, book discussion and a nice cup of tea.
For more information contact Jackie Burgess on 720392 or email [email protected]
Free Book Packs
Following on from the tremendous success of the Bookstart scheme, we work with the Health Visitors to provide all babies with packs of free books at their 8 month and 2 year health checks. As well as the books, the pack contains advice for parents about reading and rhyming with their baby or toddler, vouchers for children’s activities at Beau Sejour, and information about joining the Library.
We give out a free book pack for all 3 yr olds: children receive a voucher via their preschool, and come into the Library to claim their book pack.
We have also provided special book packs for babies staying on the Special Care Baby Unit at the hospital, with the support of the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation.
Specialist Advice
As well as family story and rhyme times, we can also offer specialist advice about the importance of reading and literacy in the Early Years.