For immediate release | June 22, 2012

ALSC and LEGO® DUPLO® to partner

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and LEGO® DUPLO® are teaming up to celebrate the “builders of tomorrow.” Together, these two organizations are providing even more inspiration for storytime at home and at libraries.

At the 2012 ALA Annual Conference, ALSC and LEGO DUPLO are inviting librarians to learn more about the impact play can have as an integral part of early literacy. As part of their collaboration, ALSC and LEGO DUPLO will be announcing a program called Read! Build! Play! that combines reading and building. ALSC and LEGO DUPLO encourage conference goers to visit booth #661 to learn more about this program and to learn how you can build your library’s resources.

ALSC and LEGO DUPLO also recently 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.

“We’re very excited to be working with LEGO DUPLO on reinforcing these critical early literacy concepts,” said ALSC President Mary Fellows. “Through our research and the resources that this partnership will provide, we are focusing attention to the valuable work that children’s librarians do in developing young readers.”

LEGO DUPLO is also a sponsor of the 2012 ALSC National Institute in Indianapolis, Ind. This two-and-a-half day workshop features educational programming on some of the most important topics in children’s library services, from early literacy programs to what’s hot in children’s spaces. For more information on the 2012 ALSC National Institute, please visit www.ala.org/alsc/institute.

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 ALSC’s website at www.ala.org/alsc.
Double the size of traditional LEGO bricks on all dimensions, DUPLO bricks offer children so many ways to creatively play, learn and explore. LEGO Systems, Inc. is the North American division of The LEGO Group, a privately-held, family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark. The company is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities, and its employees are guided by the motto adopted in the 1930s by founder Ole Kirk Christiansen: “Only the best is good enough.” Visit www.LEGO.com.

Contact:

Dan Rude

Membership/Marketing Specialist

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

drude@ala.org

1-800-545-2433 ext.2164