All caring parents want their children to grow up with the tools they need to thrive in our culture, so we buy them educational toys, expose them to new experiences and start reading to them at a young age. But what if you don’t have money to buy books, or language skills to read to your child? Once again our amazing library system is there to assist.
In Woodland Hills, the Friends of the Platt Library on Victory Boulevard have teamed up with nearby West Hills Hospital to supply a Books for Babies kit to every newborn—approximately 60 a month. The Friends purchase baby kits from ALTAFF, a division of the National Library Association, which contain a board book, baby’s first library card, a bookmark, and a variety of handouts with reading tips and early literacy information. The kits are available in both English and Spanish, and there is even an optional bib, in case baby wants to catch up on some reading between bites of cereal.
By reading to their babies—and perhaps becoming library users themselves—parents help their babies develop language skills and start to prepare them for reading and learning.
For more financially challenged communities, grants maybe be available. The Platt Friends have applied for and won several grants, which program manager Sandra Fields reports defrayed 10 percent of the program’s cost for two years running. For the balance they rely on donations and memberships.
The library is a wonderful resource and in addition to its other merits, is a much better bargain than Amazon. If you’re a reader, or would like to be, check out the one nearest you. More than just a lender of books, most have great programs such as this one, as well as various other community resources.
—Abigail Lewis
Photo courtesy Eliza Sarasohn
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