Polish children living in Cumbria will soon have more library books to choose from thanks to a new international book exchange scheme.
Cumbria County Council’s Library Service is set to receive dozens of Polish language books from the Zielona Gora public library in western Poland.
The new books, which include titles such as The Amazing adventures of Hodz Nasreddin and Following Tecumseh, will be added to the existing range of foreign language books available in Cumbria's libraries.
In return, around 100 library books are being despatched to Poland to help children who are learning English as a second language.
The scheme, which has been set up with the help of Europe Direct Cumbria, will see popular titles such as Thumbelina and The Little Red Hen winging their way to junior library-goers in Poland.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of migrant workers from Poland who are helping to plug gaps in the county’s labour market. In response, libraries now stock a wide selection of Polish titles and DVDs.
Councillor Gary Strong, cabinet member for Community Development and Safety, said: "This scheme is a great way to forge closer links with Cumbria's Polish community and improve the range of books available to children from Poland whose parents have come to work in the county."
ENDS
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