Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library...Again

The American Library Association researched based curriculum, Every Child Ready to Read at Your Library® has been updated. The expanded 2nd version; ECRR 2 incorporates simple practices designed to help parents and  caregivers develop early literacy skills in children from newborns to five. The curriculum has changed form six building blocks to five simple practices, which includes talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing and developing  language and pre-reading skills in children.
The new edition also includes fun with science and math. ECRR 2 still stresses the importance of parents being their child’s first teacher and it promotes the library as a resource for developing early literacy skills in children from birth to age five.
The new ECRR 2 will be used in our Spangler, Jump Start Reading at Home Program. The curriculum is scheduled to be used with our third group of Spangler participants beginning June 2011.  Outreach staff Jump Start facilitators participated in a day-long workshop and webinar on the new curriculum and they are prepared for the roll out! Check us out soon, we will have information and pictures on the new curriculum a long with parents and caregivers reaction to the new curriculum.

Dia de Los Ninos; Dia de Los Libros



Illustrator Robert Casilla

On Friday, April 29, students at Sterling Elementary school and Irwin Avenue Elementary school had the opportunity to meet the illustrator Robert Casilla. Robert is an artist and illustrator. He has illustrated many multicultural children's books such as  JALAPENO BAGELS and FIRST DAY IN GRAPES. He has also illustrated a number of biographies, including ones about Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, Rosa Parks and Simon Bolivar.



Quinceanera Program



Mr. Casilla visit was part of the library's annual Dia de los Ninos, Dia de los Libros celebration. For the past 15 years, the library has celebrated and honored children, books and programs by offering literacy programs at our branch locations, schools and within our community. Dia emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.



Storytelling at the Asian Library



This year was the fifteenth anniversary of Dia and we celebrated the anniversary by providing fifteen different activities throughout the month of April.  Highlights from the month  included Quinceanera programs, Cinderella Around the World, which was a collaboration with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and the Asian Library and of course, the opportunity to meet artist/illustrator Robert Casilla. Dia de los Ninos, Dia de los Libros is one of many ways the library supports literacy, honors and recognizes the diversity in our community and create opportunities for learning.