Bringing Books and Children Together
Research reveals that children learn to read more easily if they are read to regularly, beginning at birth. Early readiness to read helps prepare children for future success in school and employment. Ready to Read promotes reading aloud to families with children from birth to five years, particularly those at risk.
Ready to Read began in 1997 through Healthy Futures, a county-wide initiative that connects people and resources to improve health and well-being. Kalamazoo Public Library leads this growing collaboration of community organizations that work to ensure that Kalamazoo County children arrive at school prepared for learning to read.
Ready to Read Program Components
Ready to Read utilizes five key components to promote early childhood literacy:
- Volunteer Readers: The Ready to Read program trains and schedules volunteers, who read to children and model book sharing for parents.
- Books for Babies: Ready to Read distributes cloth books to all newborns at Bronson and Borgess Hospitals.
- Rx Reading: Ready to Read enlists pediatricians to “prescribe” reading to young children and to give books to families at well-baby visits.
- Partners in Reading: Ready to Read shows effective ways to share books with young children at “Partners in Reading” workshops.
- Community Awareness: Ready to Read encourages parents, guardians and caregivers to read aloud to young children through a variety of events.