Promoting The Ready to Read Resource CenterOutreach Efforts (Terrie Chang and Elizabeth Moreau)

All About The Project

• The Mission• The Kits

– Ready to Read Tubs• 30-40 boardbooks and picture books

– Read to Me at Home Tubs• 10 small tote bags with 3 board books each

– Lapsit Bags • Themed storytime kits with 5 books, a puppet,

and a music CD• Can be loaned directly to individual family

Target Audience And How To Reach Them

• Alaska Libraries– Send letters and brochures to all Alaska libraries– Work with Alaska State Library Staff

• Agencies that provide early care and education– Head Start/Early Head Start– Parents as Teachers– Infant Learning Program– Licensed day care centers

• Agencies that support early care and education workers– thread (formerly success by six)– Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC)– Alaska Family Childcare Association– University of Alaska early childhood course instructors– King Career Center early childhood course instructors– Best Beginnings

General Ways to Reach Target Population

• Use the media– Newspaper articles– Newsletter ads and articles

• Created the Ready to Read Resource Center Advisory Board

• Work with Best-Beginnings supported groups• Do presentations at conferences and thread• Attend early childhood conferences and

meetings• Evaluate project!

Every Child Ready to Read Resource Center

• This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Alaska State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.

Elementary School Book ClubsElizabeth Moreau, Anchorage Public Library

Little Dippers Book Club

• Little Dippers Book Club meets on the fourth Saturday of every month at Loussac Library.

• 45 minutes, no snacks, between 7 and 12 kids regularly

Using Book Clubs for Outreach

• Book Clubs for All Ages– Younger kid book clubs feed to the next level

• Survey Results

• 8-17 kids each month

• Advertise to Schools– Teachers might be using the same book

• Mix Popular Books with Less Known– They might come in the first time for a

favorite book

Models for Book Club

• Traditional Adult Book Club

• Beginning Chapter Book– Ages 5 to 9, 1st to 3rd grade

• Elementary– Ages 9 to 11, 3rd to 5th/6th grade

• Tween

• Teen

• Parent/Child

Little Dippers Book Club

• 45 minutes to 1 hour (with snacks)

• Once a month

• Always promote the next book club– Pass out the next book– Put bookmark for next bookclub IN books– Read the first bit of the next book (if time

allows)

• Have “readalikes” available as well

• One free pass on not reading the book

Choose a Variety of Books

• Fiction– Start with the first of a series– Or read any book in a series.

• Non-Fiction– The Emperor’s Silent Army by Jane O’Connor

• Graphic Novels– Babymouse by Jennifer Holm– Lunch Lady by Jarrett Krosoczka

• Poetry– Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky

• Vary “boy” books and “girl” books• Beginning chapter book between 60 and 90 pages• Pick things available cheaply in paperback

During Book Club

• Introduce yourself with your name, age, and a question related to the book

• Two types of discussion questions– Directly related to the book– More generalized, relating to children’s lives

• Mix discussion questions with activities

• Crafts, games, polls, and more

• Healthy snacks related to the book

More Information

• Feel free to email me– MoreauEL@muni.org

• Check out my blog:– bornlibrarian.blogspot.com

• Booklist on Worldcat– http://www.worldcat.org/profiles/ElizabethMoreau/lists/1543416

• Litlovers.com has great ideas as well including generic book club discussion questions

• Books on Book Clubs:– Reading Raps by Rita Soltan– The Kids Book Club Book by Judy Gelman– The Book Bunch by Laura Smith– Talk About Books by Elizabeth Knowles