Tips on why and how to create a program along with examples of successful programs and resources.

1. Let 1000
Books Bloom
Marge Loch-Wouters
La Crosse Public Library

2. What is 1000 Books?
Read 1000 Books Aloud to Preschoolers
Early Literacy Initiative
DIY for Families
Increase Library Usage
Increase Circulation
Open-ended so families can self-pace
Stealth Program

3. Stealth Program
 Programs that take some initial program planning and set-
up but, once in place, are able to be administered easily
with little ongoing time devoted to them.
 Encourage families to return often to the library without an
active program scheduled
 Families provide the “power” and activity on their own
time
 Encourages increased check-out

4. The “Mothers”
Sandy Krost, Head of Children’s Services,
Bremen Public Library, IN
Mem Fox

5. How Bremen Did It
• Families received a small size three-ring journal to hold half-page sheets
• Recording sheets for book titles returned after every 100 books read
and recorded
• Created rewards after every 100 level – a sticker & a children’s music CD
• Gave out a book at the final level
• Included other small incentives
• Built in accountability
http://www.bremen.lib.in.us/ecrtr/index.htm

6. My 1000 Book Beginnings
Menasha Public Library
La Crosse Public Library

7. Our “launch” materials at La Crosse –
combining flowers, seeds and rainbows in our
“growing readers” theme

8. Our incentives at launch –
we have since gone down to
book bag at sign-up; stickers
at every level completed, a
fingerpuppet at 500 and a
book on reaching the 1000
books-read goal!

9. Above, our first design: write down those
titles! Next design: mark off seeds.

10. Current design combines best of both (seeds and listing favorite titles)
PLUS literacy tips!

11. Sample
programs –
themed and
unthemed!

12. Catching the EYE
We devoted part of a wall to create an eye-catching mural
where kids mark progress with dots that add color to the
flowers as more kids add levels read!

13. Benefits
• Completely adaptable to your library and budget
• Supports our early literacy mission in libraries
• Allows staff to create value for families with very
little ongoing time or effort. Once it’s planned, you
are golden!
• Let’s parents take the lead
while we cheerlead

14. Setting Up a Program
• What are your goals?
• What ages do you want to reach?
• Do you want to offer incentives?
• How will you keep track of participation?
• What is your budget going to be?
• How can you fund this initiative?
• What’s your dream theme?

15. Project Goals?
• Introduce a fun method to encourage
families to read aloud to preschoolers?
• Introduce children to a wide range of
excellent books?
• Promote pre-literacy so children enter
school ready to learn?
• Encourage regular library use by families?
• Relaxed easy introduction to the library?

16. What ages do you want to reach?
• Birth- Age 5
• Ages 1-5
• Birth- Age 4
• Ages 1-4

17. Do you want to offer incentives?
Incentives for kids and/or parents
Low cost: stickers, stamps
Mid cost: paperback book, book bag,
magnets, window clings
High cost: fingerpuppets, CDs

18. How will you keep track
of participation?
•Drop-in Activities
•Each return visit = 100 books read
•Record-Keeping

19. What is your budget going to be?
•Your budget is dependent on your design
•Projecting participation – smart buying
•Considerations in costing out - sustainability

20. How can you fund this initiative?
• Programming Budget
• Friends of the Library
• Grants - Target, Pepsi, Dollar General, Kohls, Sam’s Club, etc
• Ezra Jack Keats, ALSC grants
• Grants – Rotary, Jaycees, Kiwanis
• Sponsorship – local businesses, schools
• Memorials; special fundraising appeals
• Research to help in grant writing from Bryce Don’t Play blog:
http://brycedontplay.blogspot.com/2012/09/why-1000-books-before-
kindergarten.html

21. What’s your dream theme?
1000 Books Map
from Kathleen Larson (Youth Services Librarian in Bloomer WI)
http://fromtheshortstacks.blogspot.com/2013/01/1000-books-before-kindergarten.html#

22. Resources

23. Beth Crist, Colorado Department of Education
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/LibraryDevelopment/YouthServices/1000Books.htm

24. http://pinterest.com/lochwouters/let-1000-books-bloom/

25. http://ow.ly/kYA49
Angela Meyers
Waukesha County Federated Library System

26. PDFs
http://www.wrlsweb.org/member-
services/youth-services/

27. And in the End….Jump in!!!
Marge Loch-Wouters marge@lacrosselibrary.org
http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com/