VPL’s Welcome Baby Kits provide new parents with free and accessible resources to kickstart their child’s learning journey. Also, by registering the child’s library card at their closest library (including the hospital library), parents discover the programs and services that VPL offers to children of all ages, as well as programs for themselves and opportunities to meet other parents in the community.

The Mackenzie Health Vaughan Library creates approximately 150 Welcome Baby Kits every two weeks and then leaves them in the Mother and Child ward, where they’re distributed by hospital staff. The kits include a reusable bag, a children’s library card, a board book copy of My Heart Beats by Rina Singh, a pamphlet on our Born to Read program with tips and resources for building early literacy development and information on our services for families, which includes storytimes for literacy development.

We have added many new people to our library system and made a great first impression with new parents. They often bring their babies to the library when they’re older to visit the staff. These kits are often the reason behind a family’s first visit to the library, and they help connect them with the free programs and services that evolve to the needs of their child as they grow. We believe that it helps families start their journey of raising resilient individuals who can enhance the bonds of our community.