Supporting language, belonging and early literacy in public libraries
Victoria is one of the most linguistically diverse places in Australia, with many young children growing up hearing and using more than one language at home. Public libraries play a vital role in welcoming these families, supporting early literacy, and creating spaces where children’s languages and identities are valued.
The Early Years Toolkit for Multilingual Families in Victorian Public Libraries is a statewide resource developed by Public Libraries Victoria to support libraries to deliver inclusive, language‑rich early years programs for children aged 0–5 and their families.
About the toolkit
This toolkit brings together practical guidance, delivery models, tools and real‑world examples to help library staff confidently support multilingual families in everyday programming. It recognises that families’ home languages are a strength, and that strong foundations in home languages support children’s early literacy, communication and wellbeing.
Designed to be flexible and practical, the toolkit can be used by libraries of all sizes across all regions.
Why a statewide toolkit?
Across Victoria, libraries are highly motivated to support multilingual families, but access to bilingual and multilingual early years programming has been uneven. Common challenges include:
- staff confidence and capacity
- sourcing high‑quality multilingual resources
- access to presenters and community partners
- uncertainty about best practice in bilingual delivery
Who is this toolkit for?
This resource is for all public libraries, whether multilingual delivery is:
- part of a dedicated multicultural strategy, or
- embedded across everyday storytimes, playgroups and early years programs
It is designed for staff working in children’s services, community engagement, collections, outreach and partnerships.
What the toolkit provides
The toolkit supports libraries across the full cycle of early years delivery, including:
- Multilingual program delivery models
- Intercultural and culturally safe practice
- Collections and discovery guidance
- Communications and outreach tools
- Victorian case studies
Developed by and for the sector
Supported by the Victorian Government, this toolkit was created in partnership with library professionals across Victoria, combining lived experience, sector knowledge and evidence‑informed practice to reflect real‑world library delivery and support continuous improvement statewide.