ALSC accepting applications for Día Family Book Club mini-grants

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is now accepting applications for mini-grants intended to allow libraries to initiate Día Family Book Club programs. Mini-grants are part of ALSC’s Everyone Reads @ your library grant, generously funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Intended as an expansion of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día), the Día Family Book Club is a reading program that engages children and families in the shared reading and discussion of contemporary children’s literature that reflects our common plurality. 

Up to 15 mini-grants will be awarded at $2,000 each to public libraries that demonstrate a need to better address diversity within their communities through Día Family Book Club programs.  In addition to awarding mini-grants, funding from this grant will also allow ALSC to create a Día Family Book Club National Curriculum that will be accessible to all. For more information, and the application form, please visit http://dia.ala.org/content/d%C3%ADa-2014-mini-grants-available. The deadline to accept mini-grant applications is Nov. 30, 2013.

“The Día Family Book Club program allows families to come together at their library and to learn and share with each other diverse cultures and languages,” said ALSC President Starr Latronica.  “These programs allow for stronger community relationships, and we are grateful for Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s continued support of this program.”

Día is an every day celebration of children, families and reading that emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.  Día was founded in 1996 by children’s book author Pat Mora, who proposed conceptually linking the existing Children’s Day with literacy.  Día’s primary goals are to honor children and their diverse backgrounds; to encourage reading and literacy; and to promote library collections and programs that reflect our plurality, on a daily basis.  The founding partner of Día is REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Literacy and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking.

The mini-grants are part of the activities leading up to Dia’s 18^th anniversary, culminating on April 30, 2014:  Dia: Diversity in Action.   For more information, visit dia.ala.org.

About ALSC
ALSC, a division of the ALA, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC visit www.ala.org/alsc.

About REFORMA
Established in 1971 as an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), REFORMA, has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff;  the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community;  the establishment of a national information and support network among individuals who share their goals;  the education of the U.S. Latino population in regards to availability and types of library services;  and lobbying efforts to preserve existing library resource centers serving the interests of Latinos.

About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for nearly 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. With more than 11,000 stores in 40 states, Dollar General has more retail locations than any retailer in America. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America's most-trusted manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Kellogg's, General Mills, Nabisco, Hanes, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. Learn more about Dollar General at www.dollargeneral.com.