New York State Library

Division of Library Development

Parent and Child Library Services Program

Grant Project Reports
2001-2002

Grant Project descriptions by Library:

-Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery
-Crandall Public Library
-
Gowanda Free Library
-
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library
-
New Rochelle Public Library
-
New Woodstock Free Library
-
The New York Public Library, The Branch Libraries
-
Patterson Library
-
James Prendergast Library Association
-
Queens Borough Public Library
-
Troy Public Library
-
Henry Waldinger Memorial Library
-
White Plains Public Library
Project Category Library or Libraries
Family Programs Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery | Crandall Public Library | Gowanda Free Library | Lee-Whedon Memorial Library | New Rochelle Public Library | New Woodstock Free Library | The New York Public Library, The Branch Libraries | Patterson Library | James Prendergast Library Association | Troy Public Library | White Plains Public Library
Kindergarten Readiness James Prendergast Library Association
Learning Kits Crandall Public Library | Lee-Whedon Memorial Library | James Prendergast Library Association
Literacy Programs Lee-Whedon Memorial Library | New Rochelle Public Library | Queens Borough Public Library | Troy Public Library | White Plains Public Library
Parent Education Lee-Whedon Memorial Library | New Rochelle Public Library | New Woodstock Free Library | Patterson Library | James Prendergast Library Association | Queens Borough Public Library | Henry Waldinger Memorial Library | White Plains Public Library
Service to families where English is a second language New Rochelle Public Library | The New York Public Library, The Branch Libraries | Queens Borough Public Library | White Plains Public Library
Service to low-income families Lee-Whedon Memorial Library | New Rochelle Public Library | Patterson Library | Queens Borough Public Library
Service to newborns and toddlers Patterson Library | James Prendergast Library Association | Queens Borough Public Library | White Plains Public Library
Service to pre-school children James Prendergast Library Association
Service to school age children Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery | Crandall Public Library | Lee-Whedon Memorial Library | New Woodstock Free Library | The New York Public Library, The Branch Libraries
Service to struggling readers Lee-Whedon Memorial Library
Service to teen parents New Rochelle Public Library | Patterson Library | James Prendergast Library Association
Service to underachieving school children Lee-Whedon Memorial Library
Service to young adults Crandall Public Library | Gowanda Free Library | Troy Public Library
Technology Projects Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery | Crandall Public Library
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Henry Waldinger Memorial Library

Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery

Eric Trahan
(518) 673-2314

Presenting the Past: Children & Parents Experiencing History Together
$8,115.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Parents and children learned area history through library and museum exhibits, programs, circulating study kits, creative writing activities, and oral history projects.

Needs Addressed:

To provide library programming incorporating school curriculum and using local history resources, to serve the 30% of the population that is educationally disadvantaged.

Target Audience:

Students in the Canajoharie Central School District along with their parents

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Budget more time for the development of the web pages and the circulating kits. Have a firm schedule for the exhibits and the programs.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Services to School Age Children
  3. Projects Involving Technology


Crandall Public Library

Todd DeGarmo
(518) 792-6508 ext. 103

Backyards: Exploring Our Communities
$21,330.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Pre-teens, teenagers and parents, worked together to explore the local cultural landscape through the use of documentation technology and techniques. The local library reinforced their role as a community center for older youth and their families.

Needs Addressed:

Centered on three rural communities in three different counties, this project served families seeking cultural and learning activities.

Target Audience:

Pre-teens and older, with a parent/caregiver from the communities of: the town of Salem in Washington County, the village of Schuylerville in Saratoga County, and the village of Lake George in Warren County.

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Services to School Age Children
  3. Services to Young Adults
  4. Learning Kits


Gowanda Free Library

Jeanne Glende
(716) 532-3451

United We'll Stand for No More Violence
$7,707.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

An essay contest, Teen/Parent discussion group, an author visit, and presentations by community partners addressed consequences of violent acts.

Needs Addressed:

Due to the proximity to a town that had residents planning a violent act, the library and community partners felt the need to educate teens and their parents on violence.

Target Audience:

High school students and their parents

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Increasing school involvement through communication and frequent contacts with faculty members is essential. Involving the school in initial planning stage and having the school be responsible for part of the project may ensure student involvement.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Services to Young Adults


Lee-Whedon Memorial Library

Suzanne McAllister
(716) 798-3430

S.H.A.R.E. - Students Having Adults Read Everyday
$7,650.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

In its second year of grant funding, this library based one on one reading program for remedial readers in 1st and 2nd grades, focused on the crucial parental involvement necessary for reading skills to develop.

Needs Addressed:

Targeted children were from households with single parents on public assistance, limited English proficiency or teenage parents. In assessing the project, it was determined that more parental involvement was necessary.

Target Audience:

10 children and their parents identified by their classroom and reading teachers as being in need of remedial/supplemental reading assistance

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Suggestions for maintaining parental involvement included a food budget for the workshops and having the parents assist with the SHARE sessions during the year.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Parent Education
  3. Services to School Age Children
  4. Services to Low Income Families
  5. Services to Underachieving School Children
  6. Learning Kits


New Rochelle Public Library

Kathleen Cronin
(914) 632-7878 ext. 36

Extending the Parent-Child Workshop: Serving New Populations
$34,981.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Expanding on a previous grant, parent-child workshops developed in conjunction with community agencies focused on the needs of low literate, teen, and bilingual parents.

Needs Addressed:

Parent/Child workshops educate parents in the developmental stages of a child, parenting skills and early learning activities.

Target Audience:

Immigrants, minorities and the poor, natural beneficiaries of these workshops, were reached through partnerships with community agencies.

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Consultation with community agencies provided valuable insight into appropriate scheduling for targeted population.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Parent Education
  3. Services to Low Income Families
  4. Service to Foreign Language Speaking Families
  5. Services to Teen Parents
  6. Literacy Programs


New Woodstock Free Library

Charles B. Shatzkin
(315) 415-1718

Raising a Community of E-Book Readers
$10,000.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Middle school students and their parents participated in a pilot program using electronic books to foster reading and technology use.

Needs Addressed:

Library circulation statistics show a significant drop in book borrowing by the 10-14 age group. Using e-books and having parent/child pairs will promote reading through the use of leading edge technology.

Target Audience:

Middle school students and their parents

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Evaluation and purchase of Windows CE based personal digital assistants (pda). Program was first promoted to the homeschooling community and then to the public schools. Training sessions targeted 2-3 students with their parents and allowed each group to have the readers for 3-4 weeks. A combination of evaluation tools was used to monitor both children and parent reaction to the e-books.

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

E-book readers were surprisingly expensive. The pda's purchased had smaller screen size than e-book readers, however they had additional capabilities. The purchase of additional RAM memory modules allowed staff to load the entire reading list onto the e-books, eliminating the time required for emptying the pda memory and loading titles. Encouraging middle school students to read involved parents and teachers in a structured program.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Parent Education
  3. Projects Involving Technology
  4. Services to School Age Children


The New York Public Library, The Branch Libraries

Margaret Tice
(212) 340-0903

After-School Science PLUS at The New York Public Library
$45,000.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Educational Equity Concepts (EEC) trained public children's librarians on how to conduct fun, hands-on science activities for children ages 6-12. Staff learned how to carry out inquiry-based science activities, extend these activities for literacy programs, group management techniques, strategies for involving parents and resources promoting bias-free learning.

Needs Addressed:

American students' performance in science and math is extremely low and women and minorities continue to be underrepresented in science and engineering fields. Due to the diversity of New York City and the poor state of public education, the library is providing this after school enrichment program.

Target Audience:

Children ages 6-12 and their parents or caregivers in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

EEC conducted three training workshops for children's librarians. Library staff developed science collections and purchased educational bins from EEC. Designed and produced brochure advertising program. Translated introductory letters into Chinese. Presented workshops in the branches and evaluated activities.

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

An EEC staff person should visit each branch after the training workshop to provide individualized reassurance and suggestions on how to implement the program. Participating parents need to be encouraged to replicate the experiments at home.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Services to Foreign Language Speaking Families
  3. Services to School Age Children


Patterson Library

Deborah R. Williams
(716) 326-2154

Growing Minds
$9,824.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Through the expansion of collections and programs, the library provided valuable resources to expectant and post-partum mothers and their children.

Needs Addressed:

Town of Westfield has a high incidence of infant mortality, low birth weight and premature births, late entry into prenatal care, unmarried parents, teen pregnancies and poverty. Due to inadequate childbirth education opportunities, the library will provide a much-needed resource on birth and child raising issues.

Target Audience:

Expectant parents, women and children serviced by the Westfield WIC site, and the area's general population of parents and preschool children.

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Attended a meeting that discussed the results of the Success by Six project. Library recruited two volunteers to prepare a 20-minute presentation for the childbirth preparation classes at the hospital. Staff members distributed library information and a children's book to expectant mothers. WIC nurse distributed information and library information and a children's book to new mothers. Library provided 5 hourly sessions of "Music & Your Unborn Child" and 16 sessions of "Music Babies" and "Music Toddlers", designed to stimulate language development. Provided deposit collections in six waiting rooms of area health care providers. Library provided 200 "Books for Babies" bags for new mothers at Westfield Memorial Hospital.

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Presentations at the hospital's childbirth preparation class were an excellent way of informing parents of the library's resources and programs for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. The prenatal music class was poorly attended due to timing and the lack of education about the benefits of these classes.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Parent Education
  3. Services to Children Under Three-Babies and Toddler Programs
  4. Services to Teen Parents
  5. Services to Low Income Families


James Prendergast Library Association

Camille Guinnane
(716) 484-7135 ext. 234

Parent II: Parents are Reading Educators, Nurturing Teachers 2
$18,120.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

In its second year of grant funding, pre-literacy reading packets expanded to include a Spanish language version, special needs such as common speech problems, and behavioral and emotional issues. Lessons were designed to foster parental involvement in the development of proficient readers.

Needs Addressed:

Several needs were identified as having an impact on a child's receptiveness to learning. Working with their partners, packets were designed to address behavioral and emotional issues, common speech problems, and Spanish language versions of the materials. Additional packets for each age group would provide a depth of material for the whole year.

Target Audience:

Parents of children ages 6 and younger and their children. Parents involved in Head Start, teenage parents, Hispanic parents, parents enrolled in the city schools PACERS program and parents of children with speech problems were targeted.

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Additional time to duplicate packets and order materials. One on one presentations to families worked effectively to advertise the program. Determine an evaluative method to chart the development of reading-readiness skills through the use of the packets.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Parent Education
  3. Kindergarten Readiness
  4. Services to Teen Parents
  5. Parent/Preschool Programs
  6. Learning Kits
  7. Services to Newborn and Toddlers
  8. Services to Preschoolers


Queens Borough Public Library

Rosanne Cerny
(718) 990-0716

Prescription for Success
$39,400.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Promoting family literacy and providing basic information to new parents, The Queens Library and the Queens Health Network collaborated to provide parents with a Welcome Baby kit and access to library programs through video conferencing capabilities.

Needs Addressed:

Queens Health Network serves an ethnically diverse population with lower incomes. Recent immigrants and the working poor would benefit from information presented in Basic English and through videotape.

Target Audience:

The expectant parents served in the Queens Health Network

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Research and writing of print materials to distribute to expectant parents. Bags, bibs and paperbacks were purchased and assembled into packets. Programs on pediatrician concerns via VTC and a video of the "Baby Babble" lapsit program were produced.

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations

Important to clearly define roles of participating agencies, find alternative ways to involve peripheral players. Time frame was greater than anticipated, suggest a two-year time frame.

Categories of Service:

  1. Literacy Programs
  2. Parent Education
  3. Services to Children Under Three-Infants
  4. Services to Low Income Families
  5. Services to Foreign Language Speaking Families


Troy Public Library

Kim Kniele
(518) 274-7071

You Can't Judge a Book By Its Movie
$4,000.00
2001-2002

Brief Project History:

Parent and middle school students book discussion groups focused on books made into movies and supplemented by art and music programs.

Needs Addressed:

The lack of library programming for middle school aged children.

Target Audience:

Young adults, or "tweens," and their parents

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Purchase of books for discussion groups and planning programs. Promotion and implementation of book discussion groups and programs. Books were chosen around movies that have been filmed in the Troy area and parents were encouraged to participate. Evaluation of the project.

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

Programs should reflect book-related interests such as author visits and writing programs. Flexibility with participants input on title selection for book discussion groups.

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Literacy Programs
  3. Services to Young Adults


Henry Waldinger Memorial Library

Mamie Eng
(516) 825-6422

Parents as Internet Partners: Helping Parents Help Their Children
$6,650.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

An instructional website, a brochure, training sessions, and collection development helped parents use the Internet with their children as an educational tool.

Needs Addressed:

Based on numerous questions from parents about the Internet, using the Internet effectively, and good websites for children, this project helped parents develop online skills.

Target Audience:

The parents of the approximately 8,500 students enrolled in the community schools.

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Changes/Recommendations:

A time limit should be set for the review and evaluation of the website. Assistance from the school library media specialists in evaluating and reviewing sources. Promote training programs to PTA groups at the end of the previous school year to ensure open times in their meeting schedule.

Categories of Service:

  1. Parent Education
  2. Projects Involving Technology


White Plains Public Library

Raquel Cavalcanti
(914) 422-1499

Read, Baby, Read
$6,050.00
2001-2002

Brief Project Description:

Outreach bilingual library programs demonstrated tips on reading to young infants and preschoolers and registering for new library cards. Packets distributed included a bilingual tip sheet on how to read to young children, a suggested booklist, a board book, a parenting book and a sippy cup. A final "Baby Shower" celebration was held at the library.

Needs Addressed:

The infant birth rate has been steadily rising in the Hispanic community. This program encouraged new families to read to their babies and become aware of library's resources.

Target Audience:

Families with infant and preschool children who were not traditional library users

Community Partners and their Roles:

Specific Activities:

Ordered materials; translation of printed materials; 3 outreach bilingual programs that included music and storytelling; 2 Baby Shower parties were held at the library; at the White Plains Hospital "Baby Talk" Fair the library booth handed out gift bags and calendars

Staffing:

Costs:

Evaluation:

Categories of Service:

  1. Family Programs
  2. Literacy Programs
  3. Parent Education
  4. Services to Children Under Three
  5. Services to Foreign Language Speaking Families



Go to Parent & Child Library Services Program Page

Last modified on January 30, 2003 -- asm
For questions or comments contact
Anne E. Simon.
URL: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/parchld/02digest.htm