(Collaborative Partnership)
The goal of the Barrow Book Partnership (BBP) early literacy program is to improve a child’s learning foundation by better equipping parents and caregivers as their child’s first teacher. BBP’s dual approach provides free, age-appropriate books to keep at home for target populations of young children (birth to age five), and also provides language nutrition and local public library information to encourage families to sign up for the full range of free materials and services at Barrow’s three public libraries in Auburn, Statham and Winder. Another large component of BBP is the ongoing need for book drives to supply gently used young children’s books to the waiting room "Book Nooks" at the Barrow Health Department, Barrow Department of Family and Children Services, Medlink Winder and Barrow Pediatrics, so siblings may also take free book home to keep.

Target populations served are: the Women-Infant-Children’s (WIC) program at the Barrow County Health Department; BCSS children in Child Find, Pre-K Lottery registrants, and Kindergarten & Pre-K registrants; and Barrow County children in foster care. Birthday books and literacy information are given to families with young children at Medlink Winder and Barrow Pediatrics. BBP communicates via quarterly Newsletters and active social media accounts to provide ongoing language nutrition. Partnering agencies also provide additional information from the Barrow Community Foundation Inc., Adult Literacy Barrow, the Winder Housing Authority, Barrow Family Connection, and Project Free.  
 
For more information about this program or to host a book drive, contact Ellen Petree at ellen.petree@barrow.k12.ga.us or 770-867-4527. Book donations dropped off in the lobby of BCSS Central Office at 179 W. Athens Street in Winder. Tax-deductible monetary donations can be made to the Barrow Community Foundation Inc. designated for Barrow Book Partnership.