Congress Passes Bill Calling for Collaboration Between Head Start, Libraries
By Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 11/16/2007 5:30:00 AM
www.nhsa.orgFrom now on there will be more collaboration between Head Start and libraries. The House and the Senate last night passed the Improving Head Start Act, which recognizes the important role that libraries play in improving literacy.
Although many Head Start programs already work with school and public libraries, this is the first time that Congress has mentioned libraries in the federal early childhood development program, which is aimed at increasing school readiness for kids who come from low-income families.
“The legislation says that a good Head Start program includes collaboration with a library,” says Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association’s Washington office. “It means that more libraries—especially those in high poverty areas—will be able to offer innovative high quality programming.”
Head Start will now be encouraged to collaborate on a regular basis with school and public libraries on events like storytime, promoting the use of library cards, and providing new books in Head Start classrooms. Libraries would also be asked to help support parents and caregivers in literacy efforts.
Although the bill doesn’t earmark any additional funds, libraries can request reimbursement for expenditures—ranging from books to supplies, Sheketoff says.
The youth divisions of the American Library Association had been working hard for the last three years to include libraries in the Improving Head Start Act. Last spring, the leaders of the Association for Library Services to Children, the American Association of School Librarians, and theYoung Adult Library Services met with members of the House and Senate during ALA’s National Legislative Day to lobby for inclusion of libraries in the bill. And the hard work has paid off.
“This is terrific for the children and families of this country because it recognizes the importance of libraries in early childhood development and it encourages all Head Start programs to work with their local libraries to benefit both children and their caregivers,” Sheketoff says.
The bill will now head to President Bush’s desk for his signature.
