Research shows that reading aloud is the single most important thing a parent can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning. Yet research also tells us approximately 61% of low-income families do not have ANY age appropriate books in their homes. The BLP officially started January 25, 2016 (originally under the name Barrow Book Partnership) as an attempt to close the inequality gap in literacy development by making books more accessible to Barrow County's low-income families. Our dual-approach combines building up home libraries for our target audience with public library services to make sure our families have consistent access to high-quality books for all ages. Language nutrition educational opportunities ensure parents know how important it is to read to their children from birth. 

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Thanks to a substantial Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading (L4GA) Grant from the GA Department of Education that was awarded to The Barrow County School System, an already strong collaboration grew into the Barrow Literacy Partnership. Together we pursue our common goals of promoting early literacy in Birth-Age 5 children and enhancing family engagement while nurturing a love of reading. The BLP can now provide even more age appropriate books to additional target populations across the county, while simultaneously educating families about the wealth of free resources, books, and programs in Barrow’s three public libraries in Auburn, Statham and Winder.