Born to Read is an annual campaign where early literacy kits are distributed at the area’s four hospitals to parents with babies born during National Library Week in April.

The kits contain: two books, information on services and resources for parents, grandparents, and caregivers, library information including the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, library card applications, and more.

The “Born to Read” program campaign began in 1996. It encourages new parents to read to their babies to give them a head start on language development and other basic skills.  Pediatric research indicates that early positive exposure to children’s books, especially through reading aloud, helps children learn to read. Children’s experiences being read to are the single most important predictors of later reading success.