"...the Children's Room of a public library is the place for children from birth through adolescence....If you develop a program geared specifically for infants and toddlers, you will make your library a place where these youngest library users are made to feel not only welcome but also important" --Jane Marino (1997, p. 110)

Programs for infants at libraries are variously called Mother Goose Time, Books and Babies, Book Babies, Laptime, and other similar names. Such programs have their roots in literature sharing programs in Mother's Rooms of libraries in the 1930's. Although interest in infants by librarians waned during the 1940's and 1950's, the 1970's saw a rebirth of interest in the youngest library patrons, possibly because of advances in child development theory and the beginnings of Head Start programs (see Carlson, 1985, p. 1-8).

Now, while not as common as story times for preschoolers, programs for infants are considered an important service offered by many public library children's rooms. As with any program, details will differ from library to library, librarian to librarian; however, a general description of the characteristics of Mother Goose program for infants follows.

The Setting
Mother Goose programs are literature sharing programs for infants (ranging in age from newborn to two years old) and their caregivers. Some programs such as the one described in Mother Goose Time, by Jane Marino and Dorothy F. Houlihan (1992), divide the children between walkers and pre-walkers in order to keep children who are developmentally similar together. Some have all children within the stated age limits attend together. Some libraries, that do not have a two-year-old program, offer the Mother Goose program to this age as well. The programs generally take place in libraries, but may also move outside the library to settings such as clinics or teen mother programs. Adult caregivers attend with their babies. It is necessary to have one adult attend with every baby, so that the caregivers can interact with the babies. Approximately ten to twenty adults with their babies attend each session, though larger groups are also possible. Registration requirements vary with each library. Some libraries allow older siblings to attend, while others do not.

The Program
During the formal portion of the program, adults sit in a circle on the floor with their children on their laps (children who walk may move around). Often, as in story times for older children, there is a standard opening and/or closing song or chant, as well as a special song or chant for introducing each child in the group. A librarian leads the group in a series of songs, Mother Goose and other rhymes, simple fingerplays, and exercises that are developmentally appropriate for the group. Caregivers and babies sing, chant, and move along with the rhythm. Each rhyme or song is repeated at least twice, for babies at this stage like repetition. Often many of the songs, rhymes, etc., are repeated from session to session.

Use of Books
Because books with plot are not developmentally appropriate for most children under two years of age, group storybook sharing is a minor part of the program, if it is included at all. The books the librarian chooses to share are "simple repetitive text, bold graphics, and large page size...usually thought of as 'lap' books" (Marino & Houlihan, 1992, p. 21, Marino, 1997, p. 111), such as Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown. The program may include a short period during which the adults or children choose a story to share one-on-one or choose some books to take home from a selection of appropriate board books or "lap" books that the librarian has preselected.

Other Materials
Handouts of the text of the rhymes and songs and fingerplays are often available for caregivers to take home. The handouts help adults to remember the program and thus enable them to continue to use what they have learned when they interact with their children at home. The librarian may also have, on display, a selection of tapes of songs, collections of Mother Goose and other nursery rhymes or finger plays, books about child development, and other appropriate related materials for adults to checkout.

Unstructured Time
In some libraries, the formal program described above is preceded or followed by a playtime, during which developmentally appropriate toys and books are available for adults and babies to share. This unstructured time offers caregivers, who are often isolated at home with their infants, a chance to interact with other adults, to share information, to observe and interact with children other than their own, and to foster friendships, while babies play in a safe environment. During this time, the librarian can participate in the play, perhaps modeling one-on-one book sharing with the children. The librarian can also use this time to answer caregivers' questions about the library and to guide them to materials appropriate to their own and their children's needs.