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Growing Readers Together
HEADLINE NEWS:
STATE LIBRARY RELEASES NEW COLORADO PUBLIC LIBRARIES EARLY LITERACY FRAMEWORK
GROWING READERS TOGETHER INCLUDED IN COLORADO’S PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANT
NEW EARLY LITERACY SUPPORT TEAM CREATED!
Growing Readers Together (GRT), now in its 5th year of operation, partners with public library systems across the state to engage with Family, Friend & Neighbor (FFN) childcare providers through an enhanced focus on early literacy. Thanks to generous support from the Buell Foundation, 14 library systems across the state are currently receiving grant funds to develop programs and resources for FFN providers, enhance their collection of quality children’s literature, engage in new partnerships with Early Childhood Councils and other stakeholders and update their Children’s Areas. Learn why libraries choose to participate in Growing Readers Together by clicking here.
In 2019, GRT was included in Colorado Shines Brighter, our state’s Preschool Development Grant. The additional funding allowed GRT to create a team of Early Literacy Regional Specialists who are available to staff from any library in the state, regardless of current or past involvement in Growing Readers Together.
FOLLOW GROWING READERS TOGETHER ON FACEBOOK
With the inclusion of Growing Readers Together in the 3-year renewal of Colorado's PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANT, the GROWING READERS TOGETHER EARLY LITERACY TEAM is listening to libraries across the state in order to best support Colorado libraries' early literacy and Family, Friend and Neighbor (FF&N) service.
Since 2016 -- With the help of the Buell Foundation who generously supports the Colorado State Library's (CSL) partnership with public library systems across the state to implement Growing Readers Together (GRT), we have gained momentum serving 2 library cohorts with expertise and funding. The effort is focused on supporting libraries to engage with Family, Friend & Neighbor (FFN) child care providers through an enhanced focus on early literacy.
In 2019 -- The Colorado State Library created an Early Literacy Team of three regional specialists (funded by the Preschool Development Grant to extend Growing Readers Together). This team provided workshops and consultations for 10 library systems, produced 10 webinars, and presented at the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy conference and regional Youth Services Workshops. Building on those experiences, in its fourth year of operation, Growing Readers Together has reached and additional 10 library systems with support for informal caregivers of young children via libraries. Since the start in 2016, we have reached 37 library systems and many library professionals.
Looking to the future, the Growing Readers Together Team supports Colorado libraries with these goals in mind:
- FFN caregivers in Colorado will have the skills, confidence and resources to engage the children in their care with early literacy materials and activities daily.
- Public library staff in Colorado will have strategies to connect FFN caregivers in their area with early literacy services.
- CSL will develop state-level infrastructure for early literacy support to FFN caregivers and the children in their care.
- Children under six throughout the state will be exposed to language and literacy-rich experiences in informal childcare settings and at the library.
RESOURCES FOR GRT LIBRARIES AND THEIR PARTNERS
Learn why libraries choose to participate in Growing Readers Together by clicking here.
The participating public libraries that have been or currently are involved in Growing Readers Together are:
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