The 2020 Hsinchu County Bookstart activities began on July 5 and will run until September 29. In addition to giving away reading gift bags which have been very popular with parents over the years, the 3-month long exciting event also includes lectures by doctors, magic picture books, musical and story-telling plays, and other family reading activities. Moreover, libraries from 13 townships and cities have collaborated to provide a rich content for this event. During the press conference held at the Library of the Cultural Affairs Bureau today (30th), Mayor Yang Wen-Ke donned a wizard robe and hat, and performed alongside the magician to call on parents to pay attention to developing good reading habits in their infants and young children. He then transformed into a Story Mom and told stories to the children present, making them very happy. He also welcomed the people to bring their children to participate in reading promotion activities in the libraries across the 13 towns and cities.
Last year, the Library of the Cultural Affairs Bureau collaborated with medical communities and private enterprises from different fields, and received favorable feedback. Mayor Yang pointed out that through cross-domain cooperation, reading promotion can be more diversified. Therefore, this year the bureau once again sought out external resources and planned a diversity of activities, lectures and courses to help parents read with their children, develop language learning, cultivate parental verbal communication with their children, and enhance knowledge exploration interest in both the parents and their children. The Mayor believes that reading can provide children with more inspiration for their future. This year, 3400 reading gift bags will be given away, so make the most of this opportunity.
Tien Chao-Jung, director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, said that the reading gift bags are included in the reading promotion activities for infants and toddlers, which win warm praises from parents. The bags have been given away since July 10. For children born after January 1, 2017 and registered in Hsinchu County, their parents may bring the original copy of their Household Registration Certificate to any library in the county, as well as apply the library cards for their children and borrow 3-6 books at the same time to receive a reading gift bag from the library. The gift bag contains exquisite picture books and handbooks. The offer is available while stocks last, and each person is limited to only one gift bag. In coordination with the reading gift bag activity, the Library of the Cultural Affairs Bureau is also conducting the Bookstart Picture Book Exhibition from now until July 29.