how to 1000-books-before-kindergarten

Let 1000 Books Bloom

Marge Loch-Wouters

La Crosse Public Library

What is 1000 Books?Read 1000 Books Aloud to Preschoolers

Early Literacy Initiative

DIY for Families

Increase Library Usage

Increase Circulation

Open-ended so families can self-pace

Stealth Program

Stealth Program

Programs that take some initial program planning and set-up but, once in place, are able to be administered easily with little ongoing time devoted to them.

Encourage families to return often to the library without an active program scheduled

Families provide the “power” and activity on their own time

Encourages increased check-out

The “Mothers”

Sandy Krost, Head of Children’s Services, Bremen Public Library,

IN

Mem Fox

How Bremen Did It

• Families received a small size three-ring journal to hold half-page sheets

• Recording sheets for book titles returned after every 100 books read and recorded

• Created rewards after every 100 level – a sticker & a children’s music CD

• Gave out a book at the final level

• Included other small incentives

• Built in accountabilityhttp://www.bremen.lib.in.us/ecrtr/index.htm

My 1000 Book Beginnings

Menasha Public Library

La Crosse Public Library

Our “launch” materials at La Crosse – combining flowers, seeds and rainbows in our “growing readers” theme

Our incentives at launch – we have since gone down to book bag at sign-up; stickers at every level completed, a fingerpuppet at 500 and a book on reaching the 1000 books-read goal!

Above, our first design: write down those titles! Next design: mark off seeds.

Current design combines best of both (seeds and listing favorite titles)

PLUS literacy tips!

Sample programs – themed and unthemed!

Catching the EYE

We devoted part of a wall to create an eye-catching mural where kids mark progress with dots that add color to the flowers as

more kids add levels read!

Benefits• Completely adaptable to your library and

budget

• Supports our early literacy mission in libraries

• Allows staff to create value for families with very little ongoing time or effort. Once it’s planned, you are golden!

• Let’s parents take the lead while we cheerlead

Setting Up a Program

• What are your goals?• What ages do you want to reach?• Do you want to offer incentives?• How will you keep track of

participation?• What is your budget going to be?• How can you fund this initiative?• What’s your dream theme?

Project Goals?

• Introduce a fun method to encourage families to read aloud to preschoolers?

• Introduce children to a wide range of excellent books?

• Promote pre-literacy so children enter school ready to learn?

• Encourage regular library use by families?

• Relaxed easy introduction to the library?

What ages do you want to reach?

• Birth- Age 5• Ages 1-5• Birth- Age 4• Ages 1-4

Do you want to offer incentives?

Incentives for kids and/or

parents

Low cost: stickers, stamps

Mid cost: paperback book, book bag, magnets, window clings

High cost: fingerpuppets, CDs

How will you keep track of participation?

•Drop-in Activities

•Each return visit = 100 books read

•Record-Keeping

What is your budget going to be?

•Your budget is dependent on your

design

•Projecting participation – smart

buying

•Considerations in costing out -

sustainability

How can you fund this initiative?

• Programming Budget• Friends of the Library

• Grants - Target, Pepsi, Dollar General, Kohls, Sam’s Club, etc

• Ezra Jack Keats, ALSC grants• Grants – Rotary, Jaycees, Kiwanis• Sponsorship – local businesses, schools• Memorials; special fundraising appeals• Research to help in grant writing from Bryce Don’t

Play blog:http://brycedontplay.blogspot.com/2012/09/why-1000-books-before-

kindergarten.html

What’s your dream theme?

1000 Books Map from Kathleen Larson (Youth Services Librarian in Bloomer WI)

http://fromtheshortstacks.blogspot.com/2013/01/1000-books-before-kindergarten.html#

Resources

Beth Crist, Colorado Department of Education http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/LibraryDevelopment/YouthServices/1000Books.htm

http://pinterest.com/lochwouters/let-1000-books-bloom/

http://ow.ly/kYA49Angela Meyers

Waukesha County Federated Library System

PDFs

http://www.wrlsweb.org/member-services/youth-services/

And in the End….Jump in!!!

Marge Loch-Wouters marge@lacrosselibrary.org http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com/