Plethora of Popular Programs
Spring 2017Here at JanWay, we work with thousands of libraries across the country, and it’s always interesting to see the various ways that libraries fulfill their missions. It isn’t your grandmother’s library -- just a place for books -- anymore. But reading remains the core mission. We see this in the wide variety of reading programs that libraries offer to encourage the love of reading. |
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A plethora of popular programs |
One of the most popular programs we see is 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. This program encourages parents and other family members to read to children from birth through kindergarten, giving the children the foundation they need when they start school. Although the program has an official logo, most libraries design their own. We’ve had the opportunity to put some delightful art on a variety of products. Another early literacy program, Born to Read, started as an initiative of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). The focus is to reach parents before and immediately after their children are born. Parents are educated about the importance of reading, talking and singing to a newborn. Many libraries that use this program partner with local hospitals to distribute gift bags containing literacy information and a board book to parents of newborns. |
The ALSC’s current initiative, Every Child Ready to Read, “incorporates simple practices, based on research, to help parents and caregivers develop early literacy skills in children from birth to age five.” (http://www.ala.org/alsc/initiatives) Many of the libraries that use this initiative not only distribute books and information to new parents but also provide parenting classes and continuing early literacy programs. |
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There doesn’t seem to be an over-arching program to get boys to read, but a lot of libraries are working on the challenge. Two websites, GUYS READ and Getting Boys to Read are designed to help libraries, other organizations and parents learn how to encourage boys to become enthusiastic readers. Workshops and games, during Money Smart Week, teach children about money and how to manage it. College students are taught how to budget and how to save money on college expenses. Adults learn the basics of budgeting and financial management. Other programs discuss couponing, saving money on home energy, how to buy and prepare healthy foods on a budget, planning for retirement, and traveling on a budget. Nancy Pearl started it all in 1998 when she developed the program “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book.” Now libraries all over the country hold annual Community Read programs. Some libraries participate in the NEA Big Read which provides grants for programming for a list of selected books. The American Library Association (ALA) provides information on how to hold a community read through their One Book, One Community initiative. Many libraries encourage adult reading with winter reading programs, often with fun themes such as "Book Your Winter Getaway" and "Cozy Up With a Good Book." Or they’ll finish the winter with Blind Date with a Book. Books are wrapped, often in brown paper and possibly with a clue or two to suggest what type of book it might be, giving readers an opportunity to read something unexpected. |
But when summer rolls around, the emphasis is back on the children. Summer reading is, of course, the ultimate reading program. Libraries across the country spend countless hours preparing and presenting programs to encourage children to read during their summer break from school. |
Tell us about your program and win a $100 gift certificate |
Tell us, in just one or two paragraphs, about your favorite program or about a new program you intend to launch. You can submit your entry by clicking the button below; be sure to include your name and the name of your library. We will randomly pick a winner from all the entries that are submitted by April 30 and notify the winner right away via email. If you're the winner, you'll receive your $100 gift certificate in the mail. Along with announcing the winner in the next issue of Tips, Trends and Topics, we’ll also include some of your responses. |
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Share the opportunity to win by forwarding this newsletter (see the link below) to colleagues or co-workers. |