Helen Green was always a bookworm – her love of reading developed in childhood and she continued it in motherhood.

Now she is passing on the enjoyment and benefits reading can bring through her job as an Early Years Development officer.

Based at Bradford Central Library, Helen and her colleague Susan Brewster-Craig are responsible for promoting the library and that in Keighley to families and young children.

They also run Bookstart, a children’s publishers and Government-supported national scheme delivering books to pre-school children.

Bradford’s is one of the biggest Bookstart schemes in the country – Helen and Susan distribute 24,000 packs of books to youngsters in children’s centres and nurseries. They also visit libraries and attend events and festivals to talk to parents about the importance of reading to their children.

“My job is to get families with young children into libraries. It’s about changing people’s perceptions of libraries,” Helen says.

She says some people believe children aren’t welcome in libraries. Helen is eager to get the message across that they are by hosting child-related events and activities such as story and rhyme-telling sessions.

“It is getting more people into libraries and getting children from an early age to enjoy books. We have tens of thousands of books for young children.

“Parents can take up to 26 books at a time, because when children start to love books you have to keep up with their appetite.”

Initiatives such as the ‘Breast Feeding Welcome Here’ scheme, which the library is involved in, is part of the valuable work going on here to encourage babies, children and parents into books.

Helen recognises the benefits. She read as a child and passed on the importance of reading to her three children.

“It sets their imagination wild and makes them think about things. Books are always there. You can take them anywhere with you – on trips, on the bus – and I think reading helps you further on in life as well.”

Helen says reading books at school isn’t as daunting for children who have grown up with them. She believes books also help young children with colours, number recognition and story invention. “Books are tactile as well... it’s not like looking at a computer screen.”

Before arriving in her post, Helen studied for an economics degree and worked in admin roles, initially as a research statistician for Bradford catalogue company Empire.

She worked in the Alhambra Theatre’s box office and dealing with parks and sports centres. She then went into publicity and promotion and was working in Bradford Council’s central marketing team before taking up a secondment in the library, which led to a permanent post.

Helen loves her job so much she even takes it home – she’s joined a reading group! “When you are into a book you cannot put it down,” she says. “It’s better than a film or anything else.”

For more information about a career in libraries, Helen recommends pursuing early years/children’s development or librarianship qualifications. Library staff should have at least four GCSEs, including English, and are encouraged to work towards an NVQ in library and information management.

Bradford College runs early years/children’s development courses. For more details call (01274) 433333.