Note: CLEL will be posting a new Advocacy Tip every month. To see all the tips, click on the "Advocacy Tips" tag above.
You are an early literacy advocate if you organize a Read-In to kickoff the summer reading program, National Library Week, Children's Book Week, etc.
After participating in Booklist Online's Sensational Summer Reading webinar, I decided to organize a Read In to kickoff our summer reading program. The webinar pointed out that past research shows that children read more when they see other people reading. That gave me the idea to organize the Read In to model reading at the library.
READ-IN
Vision: To create a culture of readers in the Irving Street Library community (This is just one event to do that.)
Event:
Read In on Monday, June 7 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Irving Street Library. Participants may bring a beach towel or blanket and books, or find books in the library. We will have treasure chests full of books to read. Lemonade and snacks will be served. After the participants finish reading, they will receive a temporary READ tattoo.
People will check in at the children’s desk. Some can read in the meeting room, but we will also encourage people to read throughout the library.
Rationale:
Research shows (from Booklist Online webinar, Sensational Summer Reading):
• Children read more when they see other people reading.
• The longer free voluntary reading is practiced, the more consistent and positive the results.
• Reading as a leisure activity is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary, and reading speed.
• If children read one million words a year, one thousand words will be added to their vocabulary.
Purposes:
To promote the importance of reading.
To model reading behavior for children (and adults).
To start the summer reading program with an emphasis on reading
Promotion:
Advertise with large poster in house.
Create half-page flyer.
Encourage story time families to participate.
Recruit teen volunteers to be here on that day.
Invite the Friends.
Contributed by Colleen Spahr at Westminster Public Library – cspahr@cityofwestminster.us
CLEL will be posting a new Advocacy Tip every month. To see all the tips, click on the "Advocacy Tip" tag above.
Do you have a great advocacy idea? E-mail it to the chair of our advocacy committee, Nancy Maday: nmaday@ppld.org