Since early 2004, the Colorado State Library (CSL) has been encouraging and supporting public library efforts to teach pre-reading activities and skills to young children, their parents, and childcare providers. Through its multifaceted early literacy initiative, CSL:
- Provides resource materials about reading readiness for parents and caregivers
- Encourages outreach and visibility through partnerships with community, education, and business organizations
- Assists libraries that wish to train staff, volunteers, and parents and further develop their early literacy services
- Trains librarians to teach and model skill-building techniques.
Integral to this mission, in November 2004 and February 2005, CSL conducted a series of seven training workshops around the state. Based on the Public Library Association’s program, Every Child Ready to Read @ your library (http://www.ala.org/ala/pla/plaissues/earlylit/earlyliteracy.htm), each workshop provided attendees with early literacy research materials and hands-on skill building techniques. Approximately 125 individuals—librarians, child care providers, and others—participated in these workshops.
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