Want to raise a reader? Get a library card
Here’s an unpopular opinion: you don't need to buy a single book to raise a reader.
There's a place near you that hands your child thousands of books, runs free classes for babies and toddlers, and asks for almost nothing in return (except the occasional chewed board book). It's called a public library.
Australia has 1,717 public library service points, and after the pandemic we're using them more than ever. According to National and State Libraries Australasia, in a single year people used library collections 174 million times, made 88 million in-person visits (up almost 10% on the year before), and clocked more than seven million attendances across a record 409,000 free programs, with literacy and learning sessions leading the way. Plenty of those programs are built for the youngest readers, the service is funded through your council and state government rather than anything you pay at the door, and a free library card is one of the most useful things you can give your child. You can walk in tomorrow and start using it.
How does a library card help your child's reading?
A library hands you an endless, rotating supply of free books, which is the cheapest way to build the book-rich home that childhood literacy depends on. You borrow a stack, swap it the moment the novelty wears off, and never run out of fresh material or buy a single book. The evidence behind that is strong:
- Reading to a child six to seven days a week lifts their reading skills at age four to five by close to a year, the same head start as being almost twelve months older.
- Having more than 30 children's books at home by age two to three is linked to higher Year 3 NAPLAN scores in reading and numeracy, even after adjusting for family background.
- A larger home library in childhood has a measurable positive effect on adult literacy, numeracy, and digital skills, beyond what a parent's own education adds.
What age can a child get a library card?
At most council libraries in Australia, a child can be a member from birth. There's no minimum age. You sign up, a parent or guardian shows ID with a current address, and a few minutes later your baby technically owns a library card. The same card grows with them through every stage of childhood.
Should you let your child choose their own books?
When children choose their own books, they read more and they care more. According to Scholastic's Australian Kids & Family Reading Report, 89% of Australian children aged 6 to 17 say their favourite books are the ones they picked themselves, and 86% love being read aloud to, mostly because it's special time with a parent.
So hand the choosing over and be ready for where it leads. Your three-year-old might borrow the same dinosaur book eleven weeks running and ask for it at bedtime like it's a brand-new release. Your five-year-old might stagger to the desk with a 600-page astronomy encyclopaedia they can't possibly read and carry it around the house like a trophy. Both are worth indulging, because choosing for themselves – even when the choice is gloriously impractical – is a big part of how a child starts to see themselves as a reader.
What's the difference between rhyme time and story time?
Rhyme time and story time are free, regular library sessions pitched at different ages. Rhyme time is for babies and children under two and centres on songs, finger rhymes, and simple interaction. Story time is aimed at two to five year olds and mixes picture books, songs, and play-based activities. Both run most weeks at libraries across the country and cost nothing.
These sessions aren't babysitting with books. They teach the building blocks that reading sits on, and they show parents how reading aloud is meant to sound, the pace, the silly voices, the pauses for effect. Wander in on the right morning and you'll find a librarian leading a room full of toddlers through songs and picture books, with at least one child lying flat on the floor for reasons known only to them.
What can you borrow from the library besides books?
A single library card reaches well past the shelves. Depending on your council, the same free card can also get you toy libraries, digital reading platforms, ebooks, audiobooks, and games and learning kits. In practice that means:
- Toy libraries, so you can borrow the enormous wooden train set, let it eat your loungeroom for three weeks, then hand it back before anyone has to find it a permanent home.
- Free digital platforms like Story Box Library, where Australian picture books are read aloud on screen.
- Ebooks and audiobooks you can borrow from the couch at 7pm, when the thought of putting shoes on is too much.
- Board games, puzzles and learning kits at many branches, all on the same card.
How do you get your child a library card?
Find your nearest council library, take a piece of ID with your address on it, and ask to sign your child up. It usually takes a few minutes, and there's no cost. Then make the first borrowing trip a small event of its own, because handing your own card across the desk is a serious moment when you're four years old.
If you're sorting out childcare or early learning right now, reading habits are worth asking about there too. Plenty of quality services weave daily reading and story time into the day, and a centre that takes early literacy seriously tells you something good about the place. You can search and compare early learning options near you on Care for Kids, then ask each one how they bring books into an ordinary day.
Search childcare near you.
FAQs
Is a children's library membership free?
Yes. Public library membership in Australia is free, funded through local councils. Borrowing books, attending story time and rhyme time, and using most digital services cost nothing, though late or lost-item fees can sometimes apply.
How many books can my child borrow at once?
It depends on your council, but most libraries let you borrow generously, often somewhere between 10 and 30 items per card at a time, with loan periods of a few weeks. Check your local library's limit, and remember it usually applies per card, so your child's own card adds to the family total.
Can my child borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free?
Yes. Most Australian public libraries offer free ebooks and audiobooks through apps like Libby or BorrowBox, plus platforms like Story Box Library where picture books are read aloud on screen. You borrow and return them digitally, with no risk of an overdue book wedged under the car seat.
Do I need to bring my child in to sign them up?
Not always. Many libraries let a parent or guardian complete a child's membership on their behalf with the right ID, though some prefer you bring your child along. It's worth bringing them anyway, since choosing that first stack is half the fun.
Comments (0)