Library Regeneration Program helps spread the joy of reading with preschoolers

It is donating books to nine Port Macquarie preschools and early learning centres, through its Library Regeneration Program.

More than 3500 books will be donated including 986 going to children at the centres.

Representatives from The Westport Club delivered books to Hastings Preschool and Long Day Care Centre on Wednesday October 19. The children enjoyed story time and met Dymock the Duck mascot.

The centre's director, Debra Gulliver, said they were particularly grateful for the generous donation.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for us to really renew our library and get new books for all the age ranges," she said.

Mrs Gulliver said children's literacy was so important.

Each of the participating preschools is gifted a collection of books to add to their library, with the educators choosing the titles to match their programs. The children will each receive a book to take home.

The Westport Club community and sports manager Jenny Edmunds said building early literacy skills through reading and storytelling was so important for children's brain development, imagination, language and emotions.

"For a child to read, it's the foundation of their learning skills for the rest of their life," she said.

The Westport Club's Library Regeneration Program started in 2009 with every primary school in the Port Macquarie-Hastings receiving books for their libraries.