State Library Awards Year 2002 Parent and Child Library Services Grants
September 2002
New York State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries Janet M. Welch announced today that the New York State Library has awarded $300,000 in 2002-03 State funds for 16 Parent and Child Library Services Grants to local public libraries. Some 47 public libraries and library branches across the State will partner with numerous community agencies. Using a variety of tools such as computers, music, math, science, stories and books, funded projects will help develop literacy and parenting skills as well as the enjoyment of reading and libraries.
This year's grant process was highly competitive. Thirty-four libraries submitted proposals requesting a total of $700,930 in State funds. The projects began in July 2002 and will end June 30, 2003.
Brooklyn Public Library (Kings County) $39,374 - Family Literacy Backpacks. The Library will create backpacks designed to involve parents in the literacy activities of their preschool and elementary school age children. Standard backpacks will include age and grade-level appropriate books, videos, puzzles and games along with activity guides for parents. In partnership with schools and centers for children with disabilities, specialized backpacks will also be created for these children. Promotion will include training and orientation opportunities through schools and day care centers and displays in branch libraries.
Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery (Montgomery) $7,050 - Making Music Together: Parents and Children Learning Through Music. The Library will bring parents and children together with curriculum-based workshops, programs and materials based on music. Partners include the PTA and the School District. In -school and after school programs will teach songwriting and provide music programs for families.
Cohoes Public Library (Albany) $6,925 - Reading Together. In partnership with the Watervliet Public Library and the Riverfront Links Even Start Family Literacy Services the Library will offer Cornell Cooperative Extension's Bookstart program. The project will train parents to read with their children and provide materials to begin a home library. Programs will be offered in the community rooms of the Cohoes and Watervliet Housing Authorities with visits to both local libraries planned for parents and children.
James Prendergast Library Association (Chautauqua) $17,134 - Sharing Stories: Establishing a Library Connection while Creating Literacy Pride & Cultural Awareness. Children in the Jamestown Public Schools who are enrolled in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes will have to the opportunity to share family stories with the community through the Library. Parents and children from all grade levels, elementary, middle school and high school will collect oral family stories, tell their own stories, write, translate, illustrate and create a published book that becomes part of the library's collection.
Mahopac Public Library (Putnam) $7,800 - C.O.R.E.: Computer and Online Research Education. In partnership with the Mahopac Central School District and the Lakeview Elementary School, the Library will develop a set of core competencies for computer use by fifth grade students. Workshops at school and in the public library will teach parents and children together. Families will be encouraged to use Internet resources and software capabilities in the library to practice the competencies, for school assignments and related activities.
Middle Country Public Library (Suffolk) $25,000 - Family Place Long Island: Reaching Out to Diverse Families and Young Children. Four libraries in Suffolk and Nassau counties (Central Islip, Freeport Memorial, Rockville Centre, and South Huntington Public Library in Huntington Station) are partnering with Middle Country Public Library and community organizations to reach out to underserved families with young children. A foreign language collection, signs in multiple languages, programs for a diverse population of families and development of a Family Place area for parent/child learning activities in each library are among the key goals.
Middleburgh Library (Schoharie) $23,970 - Family Resources at the Library. In partnership with the county's Community Action Program, Department of Health, Cooperative Extension, Catholic Charities, State University at Cobleskill, and the Mohawk Valley Library Association, the Middleburgh Library and Libraries of Cobleskill, Sharon Springs, and Schoharie will reach out to families in need of early childhood development programs and materials. Each library will develop a resource collection for parents and caregivers and an early childhood learning space for toddlers/preschoolers.
The New York Public Library (Bronx, Manhattan, Richmond) $34,617 - Baby and Me: Lapsit Programs in the Urban Environment. A training project for children's librarians will offer help and instruction for planning programs for children in diverse urban settings. In addition librarians from a branch library in each of the NYPL's 14 regions will receive training at three workshops conducted at the NYPL's Early Childhood Resource and Information Center. Programs will provide guidelines in offering lapsit/toddler programs for children, ages six months to 24 months and their parents or caregivers. Access to children's books, instructional information, and incentives to promote reading development will be available to parents/caregivers.
Ogdensburg Public Library (St. Lawrence) $40,700 - Parents, Babies and Books: A Project in Early Literacy Intervention. Together with the Libraries and Reading Rooms in Gouveneur, Massena, and Potsdam, and the Flower Memorial Library in Watertown, Jefferson County, the Ogdensburg Public Library will provide new mothers with an early literacy information packet. Libraries will develop or enhance children's programming, areas and collections to make them "baby-friendly". An in-service workshop for library system's member libraries will encourage similar offerings in all area libraries.
Olean Public Library (Cattaraugus) $15,426 - Books Alive. Partnering with the Ivers J. Norton Elementary School and Literacy Volunteers Cattaraugus County, the Library will develop and present a literature-based family reading program to motivate independent leisure reading. Children in grades 3, 4, and 5 and their parents will attend programs which introduce books, provide reading and writing activities, and offer follow-up family activities.
Patterson Library (Chautauqua) $10,178 - Smart Parents, Smart Child. Together with the Ripley Free Library and Minerva Free Library in Sherman and with the project's community partner: Parents as Teachers, the Patterson Library will prepare multimedia kits on early education concepts in backpacks for children up to age 5. Group meetings will introduce the kits and programs on cognitive development will be presented by Music Together.
Queens Borough Public Library (Queens) $20,360 - Tots Learn Lots: Encouraging Math and Science Literacy in Toddlers. Queens Library's children's librarians and Adult Learning Center managers will be trained to introduce young children to basic science and arithmetic concepts through stories, rhymes and songs. Parents will be offered workshops and given support materials to encourage science and math exploration at home.
Schenectady County Public Library (Schenectady) $8,550 - GARDN: Gardeners and Readers Develop Naturally. Four "Seasons of Science" family programs will be offered for parents, grandparents, and children. Even Start Family Centers will follow-up with school programming. GARDN backpack learning kits will be made available through the Library and a website, "Journey North", will offer parents and children another opportunity for global study of seasonal changes.
Swan Library (Orleans) $18,181 - Las Familias @ En La Biblioteca. Participating with Swan Library in Albion are: Community Free Library in Holley, Lee-Whedon Library in Medina, and Yates Community Library in Lyndonville. Library and community service organization staff will be trained in cultural sensitivity, how to provide targeted services, and how to program for Latino families. Collections will be enhanced with bi-lingual software for GED, Adult Basic Education, and English for Speakers of Other Languages. Cultural events and preparation for success in school will be the focus of family programs.
Warner Library (Westchester) $19,440 - Families Reading Together. A reading teacher in the public library, parent and child story hours and book clubs, and programs on parenting skills in both Spanish and English will be available in Tarrytown, a community which is growing due to immigrant population from the Caribbean, Latin and South America. In addition to fostering library use the project will focus on improving reading skills among elementary school students.
White Plains Public Library (Westchester) $5,295 - Cyber Families. A bi-lingual librarian will demonstrate basic computer skills for parents. Electronic toys and games will teach the use of the mouse and Reading software will help with pre-reading skills. Cooperation with the Early Learning Center will make it possible to offer this family computer assistance to English literacy class participants.