The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County (PLSJ) became a Family Place library in the year 2000. Family Place libraries are a network of libraries nationwide who believe that literacy begins at birth, and that libraries can help build healthy communities by nourishing healthy families. Expanding the traditional role of children's services, a Family Place library builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parental involvement and supportive communities play a critical role in young children's growth and development. Family Place libraries redesign the library environment to be welcoming and appropriate for children beginning at birth; connect parents with the resources, programs and services offered at the library and other family services agencies; and reach out to non-traditional library users. This creates the network families need to nurture their children's development during the critical first years of life and helps ensure all children enter school ready and able to learn.

Since becoming a Family Place Library, PLSJ has embarked on many projects with the primary goal of promoting early literacy in Jefferson County. Our latest project has a direct correlation to the State Library of Ohio and Ohio Library Council's efforts to ensure that all children in Ohio are Ready to Read. This project is being funded with another LSTA grant for $56,926.

Our project has three components. The first component is the Help Early Literacy Progress (HELP) initiative. The goal of this initiative is to make parents aware that current research shows that the first three years of a child's life are the most crucial to brain development and make them aware of the six early literacy skills their children need to learn to read. We intend to do this by offering short presentations to clients of local agencies such as WIC, Help Me Grow, and Aim Pregnancy Center, GRADS students, mothers-to-be who are participating in birthing classes at Trinity Hospital, and any parent who will give us thirty minutes of their time. All parents who listen to our presentation will receive a free alphabet book, a CD with songs and games about letter sounds, and an educational toy. The HELP initiative will also utilize the media to further our goal through newspaper ads, television and radio spots.

The second component is to offer Every Child Ready to Read workshops to early childhood educators, childcare providers, and parents. There are three different workshops:

Early Talkers (newborn to two-year olds)
Talkers (two and three year olds)
Pre-Readers (four and five year olds)

Attendees will learn about the six early literacy skills as well as the importance of dialogic reading techniques. Participants will receive three free books for each workshop they attend.

The third component of Early Steps to Literacy @ Your Library is to establish each library branch as an Early Literacy Center. All PLSJ libraries will be equipped with toys and games that help children develop early literacy skills. We will install an early literacy station at each library location. The early literacy station is a computer filled with educational software for our youngest patrons. The library will offer a new program called Play/Learn the Alphabet. This program will feature toys and games conducive to mastering the alphabet.

For more information, please contact:

Misty Teasdale, Family Place Coordinator
Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
Schiappa Branch
4141 Mall Drive
Steubenville, OH 43952
740 264-6166
teasdami@oplin.org

Linda Stuller, Youth Services Coordinator
Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
Schiappa Branch
4141 Mall Drive
Steubenville, OH 43952
740 264-6166
stulleli@oplin.org