CLEL Mini-Grants BlogBy Thea MartinezIn 2022, Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL) created four $500 mini grants to be awardedannually to eligible CLEL members. The grant funds were awarded to libraries to help with CLEL’smission of being “passionately committed to strengthening children’s literacy through library servicesand community advocacy”.Since then, CLEL has awarded $3500 in grant …
Here is a look at the schedule for the Conference with Dates and Times of Presentations or Speakers: Here are the Session Descriptions for CLELCON25: Brain-Building & Trauma Informed Early Literacy Practices Understanding how children’s brains grow and develop is a crucial part of early literacy. But for children who have undergone trauma or toxic …
By: Justine Ferrara, Union (NJ) Public Library Do you want to incorporate CLEL Bell books into your storytimes? Are you looking for some caregiver tips, rhymes, songs, and activities to freshen up an existing storytime? Read on for some ideas to plan and execute an engaging storytime all about singing! CLEL Bell Award Winners & …
In our most recent CLEL Member Meetup, which was attended by librarians from around the country, the conversation revolved around inclusive spaces in our libraries. Refreshingly, new buildings are often being crafted with a consideration for inclusive spaces. From lower shelving to all-user restrooms, closed-captioning to fully-equipped sensory rooms, many accommodations are being made to …
SAVE THE DATE! CLELCON 2025 will be held this year on October 16th from 12:00 to 5:10 and October 17th from 11:00 to 4:35 (MST). Cost for this year’s conference will be $45 and it will be a virtual platform. Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy is committed to training and staff development. During our annual …
by Thea Martinez and Kate Compton Every month, over 80,000 Colorado children receive a special package in the mail—a brand- new, age-appropriate book delivered directly to their doorstep. This simple act represents something profound: the Imagination Library Colorado program is quietly revolutionizing early childhood literacy across our state, one book at a time. What Makes …
Our July meetup had a small but dedicated group joining us to discuss how summerprogramming is progressing for everyone and what we might be looking forward to in the next season. The first question posed to the group, and one that had the greatest dialogue, was how to decompress when summer gets too hectic. When …
ALL THINGS CLEL – OUR 2025 SUMMER DIGEST Special Election for Conference Committee Member being held now We are looking for an individual to fill a spot on our Conference Committee right away. We will be holding a special election to fill this important role. If you have a passion for attending conferences, organizing people …
Save the Date! October 16 and 17th will be dates for our Annual Conference. The conference will be virtual this year on our Zoom Platform.
Next Steps After Storytime: A Meetup Recap On March 11, 2025, we had a small but lively discussion about serving emerging readers in a holistic way after storytimes. Our talk centered on how we can promote and encourage literacy for young pre-readers as well as support caregivers trying to bridge the gap to help children …
