Grant partnerships

LEGO® DUPLO® Read! Build! Play! Partnership

LEGO DUPLOAt the 2012 ALA Conference, ALSC and LEGO® DUPLO® kicked off the national LEGO DUPLO Read! Build! Play! project at www.readbuildplay.com which seeks to recognize outstanding libraries and bring reading-focused activities and resources to libraries nationwide. Designed for children five and younger, the LEGO DUPLO Read! Build! project blends early reading with construction play, encouraging youngsters to build along as their parents/librarians read simple, age-appropriate books.

ALSC and LEGO DUPLO also performed a survey of librarians who work with children to study storytime programs and the important role of play in developing readers. Survey participants were automatically entered into a contest to win a LEGO DUPLO toolkit.

LEGO DUPLO also was a sponsor of the 2012 ALSC National Institute in Indianapolis, Ind. this past September. 

Highlights of the Read! Build! Play! program include:

  • Recognition: The most nominated library in the "Read! Build! Play!" project will receive $5,000 for books and supplies and the top 200 will receive innovative early literacy toolkits of books, bricks and more.
  • Resources: Downloadable toolkit with tips, activities and early literacy information available for parents online today. Created in collaboration with ALSC, members will soon find a virtual Read, Build, Play @ Your Library toolkit available for online download.
  • Events: From now through October 1 hands-on experiences will be held at libraries and family venues across the US. We will be in the Atlanta, GA vicinity the week of August 12-14. The hands-on event is a fully-staffed experience where the LEGO DUPLO team leads children through engaging activities that couple reading and building with LEGO DUPLO bricks. Approximately one hour in length.

If you are interested in bringing the project to your library please contact Parker Heaps at pheaps [at] marketingwerks [dot] com. Please note staffing resources are limited; we will do everything possible to bring the experience to your library yet an event will depend on timing/location. Look for a LEGO DUPLO event at your library:

  • Los Angeles, CA: June 26th at 11:00 am
  • Dallas, TX: July 19 at 2:00 pm
  • Atlanta, GA: Aug. 14 at 10:30 am
  • Tampa/Hillsborough, FL: Aug. 23 at 11:00 am
  • Charlotte, NC: Sept. 4 at 11.00 am
  • Washington DC: Sept 19 at 11:00 am
  • National Book Festival: Sept. 24-25
  • Enfield, CT: Oct. 3 at 11:00 am

Thank you to the libraries who celebrated National Reading Month by hosting Read! Build! Play! events!

Ontario City Library, California; Southgate Library, California; The Paul Biane Library, California; John C. Fremont Library District, Colorado; Longmont Public Library, Colorado; The Clearwater East Library, Florida; Tifton-Tift County Public Library, Georgia; Boise: Library! at Hillcrest, Idaho; Addison Public Library, Illinois; Homewood Public Library, Illinois; Three Rivers Public Library District, Illinois; C. Burr Artz Library, Maryland; Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library, Michigan; The Hartford Public Library, Michigan; Warren Civic Center Library, Michigan; Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, Nevada; Hilton Branch Library, New Jersey; Maplewood Memorial Library, New Jersey; Beavercreek Public Library, Ohio; Old Worthington Library, Ohio; Wickliffe Public Library, Ohio; Free Library of Springfield Township, Pennsylvania; Lancaster Public Library, Pennsylvania; Mengle Memorial Library, Pennsylvania; Union Library of Hatboro, Pennsylvania; Upper Merion Township Library, Pennsylvania; Upper St. Clair Township Library, Pennsylvania; Del Webb Library at Indian Land, South Carolina; Palisades Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC; Southwest Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC; Takoma Park Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC; Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, Washington, DC; Woodridge Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC

The Importance of Play

ALSC and LEGO DUPLO are dedicated to promoting the importance of play in early learning. For libraries looking for more resource and research on play in the lives of young children, please visit our Importance of Play site.

 

Dollar General Literacy Foundation 

Dollar General Literacy Foundation

 

ALSC is proud to partner with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation in support of youth literacy and El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day).  Find out more about how the Dollar General Literacy Foundation is helping to support the Día Celebration.

In September 2012, ALA announced that Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded a Youth Literacy grant in the amount of $226,876 to ALSC and YALSA. The divisions will use this latest grant to support three important initiatives, El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), Teen Read Week™, and summer reading for teens. Please see the press release for more information.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $74 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 4.4 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. To learn more about Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com.