R2R websites and wikis

Here are two great R2R websites to explore!

Ohio Ready to Read now has a wiki. See what people are doing with Ready to Read around Ohio and contribute your ideas!
http://ohreadytoread.org/wiki/doku.php


Also -
Hennepin County Public Library in Minnisota has an awesome searchable database based on the 6 pre-literacy skills. If you don't know about this site, check it out!

ELSIE (Early Literacy Storytime Idea Exchange)is up-to-date with the newest titles and can be searched by keyword and by skill. It is the perfect tool to use for searching for a book for your themed storytime that deals with a certain skill.
http://www.hclib.org/BirthTo6/ELSIE.cfm

R2R Presentation en espanol

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that we had a great presentation at the Ohio Hispanic Coalition with their after school program. They have a program similar to the HHC on weeknights and Katie, Tim, and I went to make a R2R presentation to the parents during their Christmas posada last night. The lady who runs the program is super-excited and wants to arrange a meeting between her and her boss and Katie/Gabriela and our bosses to bring more literacy training to the program's parents. They are interested in ESOL classes, computer classes, ESOL classes for their kids(what a concept!), more bilingual storytimes, book clubs/reading help for school agers, etc. I think they really felt like the library was a resource for English speakers only, but I think we started to break that barrier and let them know that we want to be there for them in whatever way we can. Cross your fingers that we can find some time/money in 2009 to develop this relationship.

Multilingual Kindergarten Readiness Information

http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/LibraryServices/Kids/Newcomers/Ready+for+School+%28new%29.htm

This site from the Hamilton library in Ontario, Canada has bilingual information in English and 12 other languages all geared at Kindergarten Readiness! There workbooks based on what kids will do in Kindergarten in the areas of arts, language, mathematics, personal and social development, and science and technology. Each workbook has fun activities parents or caregives can do with kids to help get them ready for school.

FYI, Spanish and Somali are two of the twelve included languages.

Multilingual Early Literacy Resource

http://www.walearning.com/

This site contains a variety of information supporting early literacy and the importance of interacting with children in your native language. Information is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Korean.

First Workshop

I assisted Jess with her workshop on Tuesday. I think that it went very well. CR&D was there to photograph and film us and since this was out very first workshop for the both of us it made me a little more nervous. They stayed in the back though and I forgot they were even there.

We gave away 15 of the 20 bags. In the front of the class was a mother with a seven month old and he just loved playing with the board books. I stumbled over my words a little even accidentally calling kids "pigs" luckily no one including Jess heard that one. Think I will go to note cards as Jess did rather than a had out. With the books many of the attendees were nodding their heads or commented on how much they loved them. Several attendees commented on how they liked being read to. Many of them recognized the books we had. When I pointed out the mouse and balloon in Good Night Gorilla some on the moms commented on how many times they had read that book and never noticed that. Afterwards we did 2 library cards, and several people came up to talk to us. One mom came up and talked about how much she enjoyed out presentation, and how much she and her kids loved the library! I instantly had cold chills and wanted to hug the mother, I also had a lightning bolt.

I have always known that I planned to stay with the library, but I realized this is why I am here and how I will make my mark and difference in the world, by talking to people about the importance of reading to their kids, and working with the kids. Weird to admit I know but I had an overwhelming urge to cry :). Tonya and Scott from CRD came up to talk and said that she didn't realize that this was out first presentation ever! She asked us to talk to them (the camera) about our experience and share some of out thoughts.

I really think that those kits will be of use to our attendees although many of them already use the library system. The most asked question for me was where could they get the over sized books like the "Good night Gorilla" one we used.