Ohio Showcase
All Ohio public libraries offer storytime programs for young children and their parents and caregivers. Through Ready to Read workshops and other early literacy activities, libraries share skills that prepare children to enter kindergarten ready to read. Here are some notable programs Ohio libraries have developed to support the children in their communities. Contact us to have your program included in the Ohio Showcase.
Wayne County Public Library
"Come and Play" at the Wayne County Public Library, where new play mats provided by the Wooster Friends of the Library enhance Friday morning activities for babies and toddlers and their caregivers. The library is integrating Every Child Ready to Read 2nd edition concepts into an open playtime program, with a library staff member available to talk with parents and to share and model learning activities for them. The play mats stimulate sensory and motor exploration, and age-appropriate items from a new game collection are available for parents and children to use. The library is adding more features to Come and Play each week, and hopes eventually to offer a preschool learning station within Come and Play, establish a separate space for additional ECRR2 activities for preschoolers, and make contact with parents of new babies through pediatricians at the first well-baby visit.
A news story by Linda Hall in the 1/22/12 Daily Record (Wooster) describes the Come and Play program and provides parent-friendly details about ECRR2 and Ohio Ready to Read. The photo to the right, by Mike Schenk, ran with the story and is reposted by permission. It shows the play mats in the background.
Wood County District Public Library
The Wood County District Public Library received a 2012 Bowling Green Community Foundation grant to support the library's Every Child Ready to Read programming. The library plans to offer monthly workshops and meet with 70 parents and caregivers from January-May 2012. The workshops will include 5 in the library and 2 at outreach locations such as Head Starts and the Wood County Health Department in conjunction with the Help Me Grow program.
With the BG Community Foundation grant, the library will be able to purchase meaningful and attractive incentives including books, musical instruments, and toys such as magnetic alphabet pieces. Potential partner organizations in the Bowling Green community have expressed much interest, and the library is already partnering with a Girl Scout Troop which will be earning their Bronze Award with this project.
Washington-Centerville Public Library
In September 2011, Washington-Centerville Public Library announced a partnership with Target in recognition of its efforts to support early literacy in the community. The $2000 grant will be used to create themed 'Brary Bags containing books, a toy or game, and fun early literacy suggestions for parents and caregivers. According to Jenna Boles, Literacy Specialist for the Library, "These bags will give busy families the materials and ideas to incorporate singing, talking, reading, writing and playing with their children. Participating in early literacy activities in the home is an important part of preparing children to learn to read before they actually start school."
The 'brary bags will complement the library's existing early literacy services, including weekly storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as Every Child Ready to Read Workshops that teach parents early literacy tips and strategies they can use at home with their child.
This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income to communities. For more information about Target's practices visit Target.com/hereforgood. For more information on Washington-Centerville Public Library programs and services, visit www.wclibrary.info.
Columbus Metropolitan Library
The Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML)
Ready to Read Corps
is a first-of-its-kind initiative that takes the Ready to Read program, the
foundation of CML's reading programs, out of the library and into communities to prepare kids
for kindergarten. The Ready to Read Corps is comprised of six two-person teams who go into
at-risk communities and work with agencies such as WIC offices, food pantries and benefits offices.
It aims to reach parents and caregivers of children birth to five and share with parents
easy literacy-building activities they can use at home with their children. Parents and
caregivers receive a kit that includes puppets, board books, and easy tips for parents
to support them in their role as their child's first teacher.
The six communities where the Corps operate were carefully chosen through analysis of the KRA-L (Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Language) scores at elementary schools in each neighborhood. Areas around elementary schools with the lowest KRA-L scores became service areas of the Ready to Read teams.
In addition to the six teams, CML's Ready to Read department has an Early Childhood Specialist who coordinates Ready to Read workshops at early learning centers, and a manager who oversees its operations. The department is funded through a combination of CML funds and grants from United Way of Central Ohio, the Siemer Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Nationwide Insurance Foundation and Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation. One of the grant-funded purchases is a Nationwide Ready to Read bookmobile that is partnering with the six Ready to Read teams to provide additional resources to at-risk families at neighborhood events and Ready to Read workshops at various sites.
Click on the images to see larger versions of these photos of the Ready to Read Corps at work!
The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
PLSJ became a Family Place library in the year 2000. Family Place Libraries is a network of libraries nationwide which recognize that literacy begins at birth, and that libraries can help build healthy communities by nourishing healthy families. Family Place libraries redesign the library environment to be welcoming and appropriate for children beginning at birth; connect parents with the services offered at the library and other family service agencies; and reach out to non-traditional library users. This supports children's development during the critical first years of life and helps ensure all children enter school ready and able to learn.
Since becoming a Family Place Library, PLSJ has embarked on many projects with the primary goal of promoting early literacy in Jefferson County. Its latest project is called Power Up for School Success and is funded entirely through a $6,000 grant from AEP of Ohio. Power Up for School Success will help participants learn about the six early literacy skills. The workshop will incorporate the latest research about brain development and how children learn. It will also discuss the skill areas measured by the KRA-L (Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy) and ways to improve those skills.
Sandusky Library
Sandusky Library has expanded the storytime experience with the Every Child Ready to Read® @ Your Library® program. The relationship between the skills with which children enter school and their later academic performance is strikingly stable. Several workshops have been given to daycare providers and caregivers in the library's service area. Children's staff members are available for advice or resources on the program. The library received funding from a Mylander Grant to develop totes for parents and caregivers. Twelve totes are divided up by ages: birth-two and three to five years. The kits contain various activities to help a parent or teacher teach the skill, - puppets, songs, books - as well as a paper explaining each essential skill.