Queens Library Offers Universal Pre-K
Queens Library, N.Y.
Innovation Synopsis
Queens Library is the first US library to have a library based and run universal pre-K program. Our UPK provides child-centered activities and age-appropriate instruction to ensure access to a strong academic foundation for every child. It provides a conduit to adults to provide services and patterns lifelong library use.
Challenge/Opportunity
Early childhood (birth to age 5) is the single most important developmental period in a child’s life, with 80 percent of brain development happening during that period. NYC Mayor De Blasio made universal pre-k a top priority. There were not enough seats available for eligible students. Queens Library could be a powerful partner and help provide access to UPK. Queens Library has made literacy and learning opportunities for children and adults one of its enduring institutional priorities. 99 percent of Queens residents live within one mile of their community library, making them ideal locations for childhood learning. Woodhaven was selected as a location for our program due to the neighborhood's high demand for seats. Pre-K gives visibility to programs/services that other family members can use.
Key Elements of Innovation
Queens Library submitted its plans for UPK to the city’s Department of Education, which certified the Library as a UPK center after a lengthy evaluation process. Physical alterations had to be made to the premises to comply. We hired certified teachers and assistants, and our program was structured according to guidelines by the DOE. The Woodhaven UPK class lasts for a full day and has 18 students. It includes structured learning, field trips, periodic engagement with library facilities, collaborations with our children’s librarian, and parent engagement. Registration followed DOE guidelines for diversity.
Achieved Outcomes
Based on the success of our Woodhaven UPK, we hope to open another in a community library located within a low-income housing project that is currently used as a family learning/early learning and education center. An achieved outcome is the creation of an early relationship between children and the library, one where they are introduced to library services, children’s librarians and literacy tools early in their development. It gives children a head start on library-based learning and research, connects them and their parents to the benefits of their community library and gives children the confidence and enhanced reading skills that will benefit them later on. It also establishes the library more firmly in the “education” arena.
