On March 3, 2026, the Strathcona County Library in Sherwood Park, Alberta, launched new Beginning Reader grab bags to help parents quickly find level-appropriate books for their children.
The grab bags are available in the Enchanted Forest section of the library and come in three different levels, including Pre-Reader, Level 1, and Level 2. Each bag contains a mix of books chosen by staff to help families identify which topics and reading levels are the best fit for a child’s progress.
Library staff designed the program to address the fact that book publishers often use different systems to label reading levels. This can make it confusing for caregivers to know if a book is right for a new reader, but these curated sets provide a more consistent experience across various brands.
Families can borrow the bags at a regular checkout desk or by using a self-service station. While the books are borrowed as a set, the library says that individual books from the bags do not have to be returned at the same time.
Sharon Siga, the CEO of the library, oversees the program as part of the facility’s ongoing efforts to support early literacy. The Strathcona County Library Board manages the planning and budget for these community services.
