Promoting The Ready to Read Resource Center
Outreach Efforts (Terrie Chang and Elizabeth Moreau)
All About The Project
• The Mission
• The Kits
– Ready to Read Tubs
• 30-40 boardbooks and picture books
– Read to Me at Home Tubs
• 10 small tote bags with 3 board books each
– Lapsit Bags
• Themed storytime kits with 5 books, a puppet,
and a music CD
• Can be loaned directly to individual family
Target Audience And How To Reach Them
• Alaska Libraries
– Send letters and brochures to all Alaska libraries
– Work with Alaska State Library Staff
• Agencies that provide early care and education
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Head Start/Early Head Start
Parents as Teachers
Infant Learning Program
Licensed day care centers
• Agencies that support early care and education workers
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thread (formerly success by six)
Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC)
Alaska Family Childcare Association
University of Alaska early childhood course instructors
King Career Center early childhood course instructors
Best Beginnings
General Ways to Reach Target Population
• Use the media
– Newspaper articles
– Newsletter ads and articles
• Created the Ready to Read Resource Center
Advisory Board
• Work with Best-Beginnings supported groups
• Do presentations at conferences and thread
• Attend early childhood conferences and
meetings
• Evaluate project!
Every Child Ready to Read Resource Center
• This project is made possible by a grant
from the U.S. Institute of Museum and
Library Services to the Alaska State
Library under the provisions of the Library
Services and Technology Act.
Elementary School Book Clubs
Elizabeth Moreau, Anchorage Public Library
Little Dippers Book Club
• Little Dippers Book
Club meets on the
fourth Saturday of
every month at
Loussac Library.
• 45 minutes, no
snacks, between 7
and 12 kids regularly
Using Book Clubs for Outreach
• Book Clubs for All Ages
– Younger kid book clubs feed to the next level
• Survey Results
• 8-17 kids each month
• Advertise to Schools
– Teachers might be using the same book
• Mix Popular Books with Less Known
– They might come in the first time for a
favorite book
Models for Book Club
• Traditional Adult Book Club
• Beginning Chapter Book
– Ages 5 to 9, 1st to 3rd grade
• Elementary
– Ages 9 to 11, 3rd to 5th/6th grade
• Tween
• Teen
• Parent/Child
Little Dippers Book Club
• 45 minutes to 1 hour (with snacks)
• Once a month
• Always promote the next book club
– Pass out the next book
– Put bookmark for next bookclub IN books
– Read the first bit of the next book (if time
allows)
• Have “readalikes” available as well
• One free pass on not reading the book
Choose a Variety of Books
• Fiction
– Start with the first of a series
– Or read any book in a series.
• Non-Fiction
– The Emperor’s Silent Army by Jane O’Connor
• Graphic Novels
– Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
– Lunch Lady by Jarrett Krosoczka
• Poetry
– Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky
• Vary “boy” books and “girl” books
• Beginning chapter book between 60 and 90 pages
• Pick things available cheaply in paperback
During Book Club
• Introduce yourself with your name, age,
and a question related to the book
• Two types of discussion questions
– Directly related to the book
– More generalized, relating to children’s lives
• Mix discussion questions with activities
• Crafts, games, polls, and more
• Healthy snacks related to the book
More Information
• Feel free to email me
– MoreauEL@muni.org
• Check out my blog:
– bornlibrarian.blogspot.com
• Booklist on Worldcat
– http://www.worldcat.org/profiles/ElizabethMoreau/lists/1543416
• Litlovers.com has great ideas as well including generic
book club discussion questions
• Books on Book Clubs:
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Reading Raps by Rita Soltan
The Kids Book Club Book by Judy Gelman
The Book Bunch by Laura Smith
Talk About Books by Elizabeth Knowles