Applying for an LSTA grant was a new experience for me. With Missy Lodge’s invaluable feedback, advice, and encouragement, I began the process of writing the narrative, marshalling my facts and showing a need, and obtaining the necessary support information. As a small library in rural Morgan County, we depend almost totally on Public Library Funds, money that would not stretch to expand our children’s outreach programs.

 

Like libraries across Ohio, our library’s weekly Preschool Story Time attracted squirmy, giggling children and grateful moms, dads, grandparents, and other adult caregivers. Unfortunately, we may not have been reaching those very children who most need our services, such as children whose rural home is far from the library, whose caregivers do not make time to visit the library or who cannot read themselves, or whose families simply cannot afford reliable transportation or even the gas to bring their children to the library. 

 

Two years ago we began our children’s outreach program. If the children cannot come to the library, we reasoned, we will go to them. We first partnered with the Head Start programs in McConnelsville, Malta, and Chesterhill. Each Monday our Children’s Librarian traveled to a Head Start classroom bringing 50 – 100 books from our collection for their classrooms and for children to take home. This “Have Books, Will Travel” policy has led to an active, but underfunded children’s Ready to Read program. 

 

Soon we were asked to visit other day care providers. Going from three visits to seven per month, our preschool outreach program has grown. We needed more books in our library collection to provide these seven centers and their children with books. We also realized that in order to help our preschool children achieve success in school, they needed books of their own. Many parents are reluctant to allow children to check out books because they are afraid children will lose them because they cannot get back to the library to return them, or simply because the parents fail to see the value of books. More than once we have witnessed a tearful child being dragged out of the library with the parent saying, “No, you cannot check out any books. You have books at home.”  

 

In addition to providing books, we wanted to offer other engaging methods of improving literacy skills. A wide gulf continues to separate the “haves” from the “have-nots.” At a local church, for example, we serve children for two hours while their parents obtain free clothing, diapers, and other supplies from the Kids’ Closet, a free program. These at-risk, low income children need and deserve the best program we can provide. Once children have listened to a story, completed a craft project, or other activity, working on the computer or a Leap Pad would reinforce literacy skills. For too many families, purchasing and using Leap Pads, children’s computers, and educational games competes with food, rent, and life’s necessities. If our Ready to Read program included some of these activities, low income children could share in activities, technological advances, and culture of their more fortunate classmates.

 

Over 30% of Morgan County children entering kindergarten require intervention activities to help them prepare to learn and to read. Our high school dropout rate approaches 30% also. Kindergarten teachers tell us that they can predict which child will be the valedictorian and which will have problems learning. That learning and literacy gap may never be closed unless children are ready to read. Placing books in the hands, homes, and hearts of the youngest children and providing their parents and caregivers with literacy tips and training are essential to improving reading readiness. We will not know the impact of our outreach program for some time. The materials and books obtained with our LSTA grant will be used or given to preschoolers through kindergarteners during this academic year and the next. We will monitor scores on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment—Literacy (KRA-L) test for 4 years as one measure of early literacy. 

 

Applying for and then conducting the necessary follow-up reports for an LSTA grant still seems a bit intimidating for this busy, small library director. However, receiving $15,000 in grant money and being able to extend our literacy and outreach programs have made the process well worth it. In fact, I used much of the information collected for this grant to apply successfully for a Connect Ohio grant and received thirteen computers from an Ohio telephone company consortium.