Joplin Public Library launching One Thousand Books Before Kindergarten Program

(From the Joplin Public Library)

Literacy starts as soon as a child is born. To encourage reading, the Joplin Public Library (JPL) will launch an exciting new program at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, January 19 designed to get parents involved with reading to their babies, toddlers and young children. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten expands the offerings of JPL to promote and encourage early literacy development.

This program will provide families with specially selected books which are pre-packaged in library bags and ready to be checked out. Families make their way through the 200 bags of 5 books each to reach the end goal of reading 1,000 books to their child(ren) before their child enters Kindergarten! Along the way, families can earn free books when milestones are met.

Although the idea is simple, the rewards are priceless. Books can be read to a newborn, infant, toddler, or preschooler. Books that are read can be logged on provided log sheets, a notebook, or a free app that can be downloaded from the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten website, https://1000booksbeforekindergarten.org/resources/

JPL is also helping meet the needs of families who may not have continuing access to reading material by partnering with Economic Security Corporation of Southwest Area’s Early Head Start program. Home visitors will rotate 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten book bags among their enrolled families, helping and encouraging these families to read to their young children and log their efforts.

Families not enrolled in Early Head Start can get involved by coming to the Joplin Public Library and asking about the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten project. They may also visit the website:

https://1000booksbeforekindergarten.org/resources/ for program information and resources.

Bags will be available for families to check out after the kick-off on Friday, January 19.

For more information on this and other events at the Rosemary Titus Reynolds Children’s Library at Joplin Public Library, please contact Tammie Benham at 417-623-7953.

Since 1902, JPL has been fulfilling the information needs of citizens of Joplin and the surrounding community. JPL offers content to meet the informational, recreational, cultural enhancement, and continuing educational needs of the general public. Helping to meet the needs of very young children and their families, JPL has the distinction of being a Family Place Library, offering developmentally appropriate opportunities for play and early literacy development.