Miami-Dade Public Library Helps Kids With Reading Readiness

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By Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 11/23/2009

The Miami-Dade Public Library System (MDPLS) has a kicked off a new program that equips each of its 49 branches with brochures, bookmarks, and even laminated placemats covered in nursery rhymes that allow librarians to wrap the wonder of reading and early childhood literacy skills into freebies that bring those lessons home.

The Miami-Dade Public Library System has a new Reading Ready program aimed at early childhood literacy.

The local program, tagged Reading Ready, is the brainchild of Lucrece Louisdhon-Louinis, MDPLS’s assistant director of community outreach, programming and special services, who saw a similar program in Toronto, Canada last year—and decided to up the ante.

“I’ve been a children’s librarian for as long as I can remember, and I am always trying to find ways to encourage parents to pick up books,” she says.

To start, the library system hired Saroj Ghoting, an early childhood literacy consultant and children’s librarian, who’s one of seven national trainers for the American Library Association’s Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library program.

Ghoting helped to review and craft the several age-appropriate brochures for parents, as well as train the 800 staff members though out the library as Louisdhon-Louinis felt it imperative that all staff understand the new literacy program—even if they didn’t personally do story hours themselves.

“Whether or not you work with children, you should know what to say to patrons,” she says.

All teachers and librarians would agree that children who have mastered key literacy skills before they start school have a better chance at excelling in their education. From knowing the names of feelings to recognizing words, from hearing songs and rhymes to experiencing the joy of having a story read aloud can make the difference in a young child’s life.

““Language richness, from being able to rhyme to having a large vocabulary, starts long before school,” says Ghoting.

A Reading Ready storytime.

Which is why Miami-Dade may have launched its program inside its branches, but it also plans to expand outside its walls—even to those children who can’t physically come to the library.

To start, the library created kits at five pilot branches for caregivers and parents to check out with books, a CD, and even a puppet to help them teach children at home. And Louisdhon-Louinis says the library will eventually bring its materials to childcare centers and fairs hopefully next year.

“Children need to know about reading and writing before they can read and write,” says Louisdhon-Louinis. “They need to master these skills before they start school so they can really succeed.”