For Immediate Release
March 26, 2015
SCCLD to Celebrate "Month of the Young Child" - April 2015
Free Parent Workshops, Concerts and Early Literacy Information offered at all SCCLD Libraries
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. – March 26, 2015 – The foundation of a child’s success in school and later in life begins the moment a child is born. Hearing, touching, seeing and playing are all critical to early childhood development. Helping young children build and maintain this solid foundation for learning has remained a top priority of the Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD). In an effort to support early literacy in children, SCCLD’s kicks off its “Ready to Read” program in conjunction with the “Month of the Young Child”. SCCLD encourages parents and caregivers to take advantage of the free programs, workshops, and resources at local libraries that encourage early literacy through talking, reading, singing, playing and writing with children to help them prepare for later academic and vocational success. These techniques are based on the American Library Association’s Every Child Ready to Read Initiative.
This April, SCCLD, First Five of Santa Clara County, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors have joined together to celebrate the “Month of the Young Child.” A special time for communities and individuals to recognize the needs and rights of young children and their families, the “Month of the Young Child” brings specific attention to the importance of early childhood literacy programs and services that meet those needs.
“Providing parents with the proper tools and education on ways to enhance and enrich their children’s lives during their first years of life could have a tremendous impact on their child’s future success and happiness,” stated Emily Lo, Chair, Joint Powers Authority of Santa Clara County Library District. “We hope all parents of pre-school and school age children will take advantage of these free programs,” she concluded.
According to First Five of Santa Clara County, a nonprofit commission tasked with supporting the healthy development of children, prenatal through age 5, research indicates that a child’s brain develops most dramatically during the first five years of life. SCCLD encourages parents and caregivers to take informal, but intentional, steps to introduce their children to reading and reading concepts. Adults and children can interact by talking to each other, singing songs and nursery rhymes, learning finger plays, and reading daily. When parents or caregivers read books children love over and over again, they begin to develop an understanding about books and reading.
SCCLD libraries offer the following programs and resources to support and reinforce these early literacy practices:
- Story times
- Interactive eBooks
- AWE stations (an all-in-one educational computer station designed for kids ages 2–10) at each library
- Book Club Kits for Kids (includes 12 copies of a book along with discussion guide and book related activities)
- Read with Me Kits (kits are created around a single theme, such as Colors, Dinosaurs, or Bedtime and includes: Books, CD or DVD, Puppet and Activity suggestions)
- Take Home Science Kits (kits include: 1-2 books on subject matter, 2 laminated activity cards, notebook to keep for recording results)
- Special events, classes, and concerts just for kids
Highlighting the “Month of the Young Child” will be three special family concerts starring Jim Gill, a renowned musician and author specializing in children development and the importance of playful interactions between children and their caregivers. The concerts are scheduled for:
Friday, May 1 @ 4 p.m.
Milpitas Library, 160 N. Main Street, Milpitas, CA
Sunday, May 3 @ 1 p.m.
Cupertino Library, 10800 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA
Sunday, May 3 @ 4 p.m.
Morgan Hill Library, 660 W. Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA
For a complete listing of special events, programs and activities during April’s Month of the Young Child, visit: www.sccl.org
About the Santa Clara County Library District
The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) promotes knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment. Its collection includes more than 1.9 million books, videos, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, eBooks and extensive online resources accessible from home or work.
In 2014, SCCLD celebrated one hundred years of service to local residents. For the last several years, SCCLD has been consistently recognized as one of America’s Star Libraries by Library Journal. In 2014, SCCLD was ranked among the top ten large libraries in the United States in the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service. In 2014, SCCLD won a Top Innovator Award from the Urban Libraries Council for its innovative program to revive episodic fiction.
The Santa Clara County Library District includes two bookmobiles, an online library, seven community libraries and one branch library serving Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga and the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. In 2014, the Santa Clara County Library District had more than 225,000 library cardholders and welcomed 3.3 million visitors who borrowed 9.4 million items, making it one of the most used resources in the region. Visit Santa Clara County Library District online at www.sccl.org.
Contact:
Nancy Howe/Mark Fink/Lili Smith
Santa Clara County Library District
(408) 293-2326 ext. 3001/3010/3014
