This training, offered in person on November 6, 2014, is the launch of the Colorado State Library's Putting SPELL (Supporting Parents in Early Literacy through Libraries) into Action, a project funded with an IMLS National Leadership Grant.
2. Objectives
• Learn about SPELL research findings
• Explore how to remove barriers to library use & home
early literacy activities
• Discuss how to leverage collaboration & outreach
• Plan how to incorporate SPELL recommendations into
your projects & services
• Network & share ideas
• End the day with concrete next steps on using SPELL to
inform your programs & services!
4. Once upon a time…
•We wanted to establish a state-wide baby library
card program for babies
• But as planning progressed, we realized we
needed more information
• So we applied for an IMLS National Leadership
Planning Grant
5. First step: collaboration
•We established a partnership with the
University of Denver Morgridge College of
Education;
• convened an exceptional Advisory Board;
• and partnered with 4 library jurisdictions
7. 4 research prongs
• Environmental scan
• Literature review
• Surveys
• Focus groups
Within and outside
of library field
With low-income parents of
kids birth-3 in 4 CO
communities
SPELL website Research tab:
http://spellproject.weebly.com/research.html
8. Importance vs. frequency of reading
ALL respondents, save only one, believe
reading daily to their young children is very
important.
Actual reading, though, varies by income
and education levels, as well as number of
children.
9. Reading frequency
Amount that caregivers read to their young
children
• Increases with income
• Increases with education level (except…)
• Decreases with the number of children in the
household
12. Barriers to library use
• Sheer busy-ness/scheduling
• Hard to get to the library when it’s open
• Hard to get to the library building
(transportation)
• Library fines and fees
• Can’t find needed materials
• Library not welcoming/young child-friendly
13. Promoting early literacy
Parents suggested places/ways to promote early
literacy and library programs:
• Big box stores
• Grocery stores
• Gas stations
• Post offices
• Text messages
• Mail lists
14. From research to blueprint
Recommendations crafted from findings of 4
research prongs
3 spheres:
• In your organization
• Reaching out
• Home early literacy practices
spellproject.weebly.com/uploads/1/5/3/3/15331602
/spell_blueprint_final.pdf
15. First and foremost!!
Partner, collaborate, work through
existing infrastructure of early childhood
organizations/services
16. In your organization—highlights
• End fines and fees for board books and picture
books.
• Ensure parents know their young children are
welcome in your organization.
• Engage older siblings in early literacy activities with
younger children.
• Empower all staff to know that they can make a
difference in informing parents and caregivers about
early literacy.
17. Reaching out—highlights
• Partner with religious institutions.
• Leverage the online environment to promote early
literacy and your services.
• Reach out to expecting parents about
early literacy.
• Communicate that young children
are welcome.
18. Home early literacy practices—highlights
• Engage older siblings in reading with their younger
siblings
• Model literacy-rich home environments
• Model on-the-go early literacy activities
• Offer early literacy classes to parents that include
peer support
19. Once upon a time…
We’re starting our next chapter:
Putting SPELL into Action!
October 2014-2016
20. Prototypes
• Locally-designed programs informed by
SPELL blueprint
• 8 SPELL libraries, based on demographics
• All are welcome!
• Mentoring & professional development
provided
21. Dec 2014-
Feb 2015
• Implement prototypes
• Receive mentoring/PD
Feb 2015-
Jan 2016
• Prototype evaluations
Jan-July
2016
• Hold SPELL symposium
• Complete report
July-Sept
2016
• Create prototypes
• SPELL staff reviews prototypes
Looked at programs in CO and nationwide
Looked within and beyond library programs
Handout
Go to website--Came up with 10 patterns and 11 examples
Look at expectant parents, sustained effort in patterns
Look at Cooking Matters, Raising a Reader in programs
Lit review
Attitudes:
Importance of early literacy
Likelihood of interacting with various support providers
Family’s influence and role
Relationships:
Trust in support providers
Family roles
Knowledge base:
What is already known
How knowledge has been used
Culture:
Barriers
Preferences for interacting with providers
Surveys
Self-administered in libraries for parents with kids birth-3
Available in English and Spanish
Started with 4 partner communities but hard to get responses; moved to nearby areas to help
Not all respondents were low income
Self-administered surveys in libraries to determine parents’:
Current library use
Importance and frequency of reading with their children
Sources of parenting info
Barriers to using the library
Demographic data
Group discussions with parents to find out:
Their challenges to inspiring their kids to know and love books
The best ways to reach them with parenting info
The most convenient times and places to offer programs
The best organizations to partner with
What support they’d need to complete an early literacy program
Parents see topic of raising children as separate from the topic of encouraging reading and literacy.
Similar results in focus groups
Study did not id specific websites (except a few mentioned in focus groups) or searching behavior—for future research
Transportation an issue especially for urban rather than rural parents
Others: working or can’t get to library during storytimes
Not welcoming—parents afraid their children will be disruptive. May be misperception
First 2 columns inform 3rd
Aurora PL partnered with police for car seat program
PPLD takes suitcase full of books, puzzles, lib cards and lib brochures to ROAR clinic
Baby shower partners include early intervention center, child care resource and referral center, regional parenting resource center, united way, safe kids organization
Anythink family place lib on right—comfy seating for families, developmentally appropriate toys, lots of books, well lit