Every Child Ready to Read and Its Impact on Parents in your Community Susan B. Neuman, New York University

Background Had many roles throughout career Chief interest: How do children become literate against the odds of poverty and limited resources in their community? How do they beat the odds?

The library as an institution It is the only safety net for many of our children and adults who live in communities of book deserts It is the primary institution that is attempting to close the digital divide It is the place of serenity and comfort to many in communities of stress and inequality…the only place where no matter your social status, you are welcome and identified as a ‘patron’

Existing ideologies

In next phase of our work Libraries as Social Institutions Early Literacy Parent Engagement

Every Child Ready to Read Initiative designed to recognize the important role that libraries have in promoting early literacy development. First phase Second phase Designed to shift the conversation from child-centric focus to a more family focused involvement, engaging parents in early literacy practices

Three-year project Better understand the ECRR initiative and its potential impact on families at large and children in particular Year 1: Better understand ECRR Year 2: To compare and contrast practices across library programs in ways that could better articulate the changes in library practices Year 3: To examine how the initiative grows and becomes further embedded in library practices

Methodology Multi-sited Research (year 2 of 3) 2 Library Systems per state States CaliforniaNew Mexico IllinoisOhio LouisianaTexas MarylandUtah MissouriWashington

Our methods As informal learning institutions, libraries are not easy to study. We needed multiple methods to study it: Observations--ethnography Storyhours (and some recorded): 85 Library staff interviewed: 89 Parent surveys: 250 Librarian’s activities

Findings: Shifts in Libraries Shift 1: Library Spaces Shift 2: Librarians’ Roles Shift 3: Programming Shift 4: Libraries’ Roles in the Community

Shift 1: Library Spaces Hangout Spaces

Shift 1: Library Spaces Spaces for play and interaction

Shift 1: Library Spaces More than books

Shift 1: Library Spaces Space for playing and interacting

Shift 1: Library Spaces Play space

Shift 1: Library Spaces Support Caregiver Engagement with technology

Shift 2: Librarians’ Roles Hip/ community worker Help patrons navigate technology Act as community liaisons and bring “literacy” into the community Become role models and confidantes for parents and children

Shift 2: Librarians’ Roles Educator/ parent educator Gain legitimacy as specialists in early childhood education Increasingly trained in early childhood education and literacy Do yoga, play with blocks, lead science experiments

Shift 3: Programming Preparing children for school Early literacy Socializing with others Engaging families more integrally in the activities with children

Shift 3: Programming New types of programming

Shift 3: Programming Expansive definitions of literacy Talk Sing Read Write Play

Shift 3: Programming Parents expected to participate Librarian “tips” about early literacy directed at parents Parent-child interaction built into storytimes

Shift 4: Libraries’ Roles in the Community Community Center, café spaces

Shift 4: Libraries’ Roles in the Community Welcoming diverse families

Emerging Themes What does this mean to families?

Emerging themes Libraries as a primary institution for promoting social capital which can lead to information capital Bridging social capital Bonding social capital (‘the strength of weak ties’) Brokering with other institutions Building information capital—linking many families who have often lived in isolation with others in their community, helping them help themselves

Thank you!