I read an article in American Libraries about the 2014 Booktrust Best Book Awards, and upon further digging, found out that Booktrust is an British organization dedicated to promote books, reading and writing. It originated from the Society of Bookmen, formed in 1921, which was responsible for starting the National Book Council in 1924. (One of the original members was John Galsworthy, author of The Forsyte Saga). This appears to be the original name, with other name changes through the years before it became BookTrust. It is responsible for starting Bookstart in the 90’s, along with libraries and health visitors (public health nurses), which gives away a free “pack” to every baby and preschooler in England. The pack contains 2 books, literature and a bag and the site says that they are given away by the health visitors, or to ask at your local library. This sounds unbelievable to me that it can be done on a national scale. I know the LARC children’s librarians was active in a Baby Bookstart program, which sounds similar, but that ran on a local level. Kudos to Booktrust.
