Babies are just the ticket!

8.42.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 21st Sep 2007

Babies are just the ticket as far as borough libraries are concerned.

For a competition to find the youngest babies to join a local library is being staged in October. Just visit your nearest library with your baby during the month, show proof of your address and fill in a simple form to receive your baby's own library ticket. You can then enter the competition. In a similar contest last year the youngest baby was two days old! The ten youngest will receive books and vouchers sponsored by the Lion and Unicorn Bookshop at a special Bookstart Prizewinners party.

Cllr John Coombs, Richmond Council's Cabinet Member for Youth, Culture and Leisure, said: "There is an increasing trend for young people to join our libraries and this is something we always encourage. And they don't come any younger than babies! Most of our libraries run free special events for babies and toddlers in the form of Tiny Teddies sessions, and this is something the library service is focusing on more and more. I hope parents bring their babies along to their local library - they'll see what fun places they are and they could win a prize."