The document provides information about a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program that aims to increase early literacy. It offers $250 mini-grants to support early literacy programs or a 1,000 book reading program. The grants can be used to purchase books or reading logs. It also describes Bremen Public Library's implementation of a 1,000 book reading challenge program that tracks books read and provides incentives at different levels.

1. 1,000 Books Before
Kindergarten:
Supporting Early Literacy
through Reading at Home

2. 2013 Early Literacy Mini-Grants
$250 for either:
•Early literacy SRP, OR
•1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program
Spend grant and matching funds on:
•Books for your collection for 0-6 year olds, AND/OR
•Reading/activity logs for parents
Go to http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/SummerReading/minigrants.htm.
Application deadline: January 31

4. Presented by
Sandy Krost
Bremen Public Library
PO Box 130
Bremen, IN 46506
574-546-2849
skrost@bremen.lib.in.us

5. Why was the program created in
the first place?
1. Mem Fox – Reading Magic (c2008, p17)
– “No wonder experts tell us that children
need to hear a thousand stories read aloud
before they begin to learn to read for
themselves. A thousand! That sounds
daunting.”
2.

6. What would get parents to actually apply what they
learned in “Every Child Ready to Read” workshops?
• Large Volume of Reading
• Singing
• Nursery Rhymes

7. The Challenge Before Us
Design a program that would motivate and encourage
parents to read to their child at least 1000 books before
kindergarten.
Support the

8. • Free to participants
• Include incentives that would support
Every Child Ready to Read
• Promote library use
• Have accountabilility
• Be easy to administer
• Be motivational
• Be as inexpensive for the library as
possible (not dip into the children’
department/library’s budget too much)

9. Bremen Public Library’s
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Program in a Nutshell
• At registration: Each child receives a reading journal and
book bag.
• Each time a child has completed 100 books he or she returns
to the library with the journal to get the pages to record the
next 100 books. A sticker is given to be placed in the journal.
• The reading journal contains pages to record the first 100
books read to the child.
• Each 100 page “packette” includes an inexpensive CD of
songs and nursery rhymes, a parent note with a ECRTR
fact/tidbit/info, and other items to promote reading and the six
skills.
• When 1000 book have been read to the child the library
awards them with a book with a special nameplate.

10. Designing the Journal
 Needed to be able to add pages. A three-ring binder seemed a
logical choice. We wanted the book more child-sized so we
selected the 8 ½ x 5 ½ size.
 We designed our own art work with 10 animals (each animal a 100
book level) so we didn’t have any copyright issues. Terrie Bickel, a
staff member of our children’s department, created all the art work.
 We made each 100 book’s pages a different color. We chose heavy
paper (67 lb/250 sheet) for sturdiness. We used pastels so that the
titles of the books written in by the parents could be seen.
 See Bremen Public Library’s website for pages:
http://www.bremen.lib.in.us/ecrtr/index.htm

12. Designing the Book Bag
 We contacted JanWay.
 They sent us many different bags as we made our selection of style
and color of bag.
 We wanted the bag to be big enough to hold a lot of picture books
and sturdy enough to do so.
 We wanted the straps of the bag to go over the shoulder.
 We wanted the color to be dark to hide soiling.
 We also had to factor in expense. We gave up a small zippered
pocket to put the library card in and a top zipper because of
expense.
 We sent JanWay our art work which they redid to work for the book
bag.

14. Decided and Ordered other items
to include at 100 levels
• CD’s
• Nursery Rhyme Booklets
• Magnetic Picture Holder
for Fridge

15. How to Register
• We designed the
following registration
form.
We record from the
registration form into a
Microsoft Access file,
but a spreadsheet
could be used.

16. Book Awarded for Completion
• You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You, Very
Short Mother Goose Tales to Read
Together by Mary Ann Hoberman

17. Checklist:
1. Size and type of binder for journal
2. 10 different pastel colors of heavy paper
3. Book Bags
4. CD’s
5. Nursery Rhymes Booklets
6. Registration form/method
7. Design and make ECRTR items for each level
8. Other incentive items
9. Choose book for completion with special nameplate

18. How We Funded the Program:
• Letters were written to the four main
charitable organizations in our town to ask
if they could fund a specific area.
– Kiwanis – funded the journals
– Psi Iota Xi – funded the CD’s
– Kappa Kappa Kappa – funded the book bags
– Lion’s Club – Nursery Rhyme Booklets
– The library provides the staff to administer the
program, the paper and copying of the pages,
final book at the end.

19. Other Ideas for Funding:
• Friend’s Group
• Grants from other sources – Community
Foundation
• Community businesses

20. Companies/Products Used
• Bags: JanWay, 11 Academy Road
Cogan Station, PA 17728-9300
1-800-877-5242
www.janway.com
• CD’s: Continental Promotions, http://www.continentalpromo.com/cd.html
• Binders: Mueller Art Cover,
20000 Westwood Dr
Strongsville, OH , 44149-4043
Phone: 440-238-3303
FAX: 440-238-5574
Toll Free Phone: 888-238-6311
http://www.muellerartcover.com/index.asp
• Nursery Rhymes, Songs and Fingerplays: West Bloomfield Public Library,
7321 Commerce Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323
248-682-2120
www.wblib.org

22. Things we would like to do, but haven’t yet:
• Additional 100 book items
– Foam shapes in different colors
– “1000 Books Before Kindergarten” clings for vehicle window
– Magnetic Upper and Lower Case Letters
– Magnetic Numbers
– Find source for CD’s that are no longer available
• Follow-up
– Send motivational postcards to parents who haven’t been back to get
additional levels
– Send notices of Toddler Time, Preschool Story Hour, and other age
appropriate programs at the library
• Wall of Fame
– Display pictures of children who have completed 1000 Books
Questions?

23. Laura McConnell
Children’s/Teen Librarian
East Morgan County Library
Brush, Colorado

24. “There is no
substitute for
books in the life
•To increase literacy in the
of a child.”
lives of the youngest members
- May Ellen Chase
of our community.
•To
help children find the
“magic” of reading and books.
•Help parents teach their
children to learn to read so
they will read to learn.
•Tohelp children know books
and reading can be fun.

26. • Heard about the idea
from the emails we
receive.
• Searched what other
libraries were doing.
• Changed it to fit the
community we serve –
service area is
approximately 8,100
people. "To learn to read is to light a fire; every
syllable that is spelled out is a spark."
• Easy on staff and — Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
parents.

27. •Fill
out form, take picture, give
packet.
•Forevery packet of 100 books
turned in, child receives prize
and another picture is taken.
•Displayed on wall with “book”
labeled with level and date.
•When all ten levels are turned
in, we plan to have a party and
present family with a scrapbook
of all the pictures of the child.
•Repetition is encouraged. If a
book is read more than once,
count it each time!

28. Sample of
Registration form
and Level Packets.
Each level has its
own color at the
top of the page.

29.  Recommend program
to parents of young
children.
Levels 1-5 Prizes Levels 6-10 Prizes
 Take picture (if
possible) of child.
 Let child pick prize
 Give parent next level
packet.

30.  Our staff – they are
incredibly amazing
and helpful.
 The pictures on the
wall – parents and I cut around the pictures, use the wallpaper pieces we
public comment all use for the Cricut, fold it like a book, then put the
Level on the front and the name and date n the back.
the time.
 Story time parents
 Making a big deal
about each level for
the kids.

31.  This has been an
unexpected success for
our library.
 The staff has gone
above and beyond in
encouraging patrons –
even giving reading tips
to young parents.
 Parents don’t seem to
mind filling out the
logs. "There are many little ways to enlarge
your child's world. Love of books is
 Works well with year- the best of all."
round reading contest. — Jacqueline Kennedy

32.  What to do if we are not
able to get a photo?
 What the final party
will look like – when to
do it? "Oh, magic hour,
when a child first
 How long do we keep knows she can read
printed words!"
the pictures up if they — A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn, 1943
don’t do another level?
 Writing books down
with multiple children –
solutions.

33. “There is more treasure in books "Reading aloud with children is known to
than in all the pirate's loot on be the single most important activity for
Treasure Island." building the knowledge and skills they
— Walt Disney will eventually require for learning to
read."
— Marilyn Jager Adams
East Morgan County Library – Laura McConnell
laura.m@emcl.info
970-842-4596

34. Thanks for attending the 1,000 Books
Before Kindergarten Webinar!
Please complete the webinar evaluation:
https://www.research.net/s/1000Books
Go to http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/LibraryDevelopment/YouthServices/
1000Books.htm for related handouts and the archived webinar.