Bookbabies, an initiative from the Flemish Reading Association and the Flemish
Centre for Public Libraries, was a pilot project organized in 10 Flemish cities where local
public libraries worked together with 82 couples with young babies for two years to set up a
programme called "having fun with books". The objectives of the research linked to the pilot
project were: (1) mapping the parents' experiences regarding the introduction of a reading
promotion programme, and (2) presenting a wide range of good examples of practice. There
was also a clear objective of including families who were more difficult to reach. Throughout
the project, all families were surveyed three times in their own homes. The results of the
study show, among other things, that parents particularly need more implicit support for
reading to young children. The parents also greatly stress the affective side involved with
reading, which resulted in the creation of reading rituals in the families.