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The East Baton Rouge (La.) Parish Library's "Prime Time Family Reading Time," a program designed to break the cycle of illiteracy in at-risk families, has received the annual Urban Library Council/Highsmith Award of Excellence. The $1,000 award will be presented in July during the American Library Association's Annual Conference in New York City.
"There is a direct correlation between the high number of functional illiterates, a high rate of unemployment and a soaring rate of violent crime," said John B. Richard, library director. "At present, Louisiana has the highest illiteracy rate in the nation. Faced with these alarming statistics, we designed Prime Time Family Reading Time."
The program is open to families with at-risk children ages seven and up whose parents are also experiencing reading difficulties. It runs for eight weeks in the spring and fall, and includes various components, such as storytelling, a motivational speaker discussing the importance of reading aloud in the home, and programs that model good reading behavior and techniques. The project stresses the enjoyment of reading and the use of library resources to solve problems. All activities are designed to equip parents with the skills to help their children become better readers.
Structured pre-reading activities are offered for children aged 3 to 6, while the rest of the family, including grandparents, attends the program. Participants are offered snacks and transportation to and from the sessions.
Prime Time Family Reading Time has resulted in higher reading scores for the school aged children involved, increased library usage by targeted families, and parents who have left the welfare rolls. In addition, more than 50 percent of program participants no longer receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children. The program costs approximately $50 per family and is now offered by more than 22 Louisiana sites.
"The committee members were impressed with the Prime Time Family Reading Time project because it effectively addresses the on-going and pressing urban problem of high illiteracy," said Donna Mancini, chair of the Award of Excellence Committee. "The inclusion of grandparents in family groups was cited as a very positive aspect of the project."
This year Highsmith, Inc., Fort Atkinson, WI has become the corporate sponsor for the Award of Excellence. With Highsmith's participation, the amount of the award has increased from $500 to $1,000, effective with the 1995 award year.
Applications for next year's Award of Excellence are available from the ULC office, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1080, Evanston, IL 60201; 847-866-9999 (phone); 847-866-9989 (fax); ejr@gpl.glenview.lib.il.us (internet e-mail). The award is designed to recognize a ULC member library for the creation or adaptation of a service that fills a need of an urban area, is not costly, can be easily replicated and has proven results.
Founded in 1971, the Urban Libraries Council offers advocacy, consulting, research and training and support services to its member libraries. Membership is open to public libraries serving populations of 50,000 or more in a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area and library vendors. |
