A scheme offering library membership to babies from birth has registered 776 children across Stoke-on-Trent during its first year.
My First Library Card launched in September 2025 and works with the city's registrars so that parents registering a newborn baby can also sign their child up to a local library.
Families are given information about books, activities and other library services for young children. Stoke-on-Trent City Council said the initiative forms part of its work to give children the best possible start in life.
How the My First Library Card scheme works
Parents are invited to join the scheme when registering their baby's birth. Membership gives families free access to physical books as well as e-books and audiobooks through Stoke-on-Trent Libraries.
The city's library service received £3,925 from Arts Council England and Libraries Connected to support the project.
Councillor Sarah Hill, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cabinet member for finance, anti-poverty, governance and corporate services, said: “It is brilliant to see that so many babies have been given library memberships in just one year of the My First Library Card scheme.”
She added: “Reading to your baby and enjoying books together helps them in the development of their language and communication skills. With library membership, it means parents can access books for free, as well as e-books and audiobooks and don't have to worry about the costs.”
Library activities for babies and toddlers
Stoke-on-Trent libraries also run sessions for babies and toddlers using songs, rhymes and movement to support early speech, language and communication skills.
Details of sessions and other children's services are available through the Stoke-on-Trent Libraries website.
The figures, quotation and photographs were supplied by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.