Archive: Around Town

The 2018 Empire State Center for the Book Literacy Award will be presented to 'Lansing Loves to Read' (LLTR) at the New York State Writers Hall of Fame Induction on June 5, 2018, at the Princeton Club in New York City, by Guy Lamolinara, Communications Officer at the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Guy will present a $1000 check to 'Lansing Loves to Read' to support all its programs and initiatives.

LLTR was conceived in 2013 by a small group of local parents who believed that their rural community could be doing more to support children's literacy. The energy and commitment of this handful of concerned parents blossomed into a widespread grassroots effort supported by many members of the community. They approached key town institutions - school district, the town board, and the local community library - creating numerous reciprocal partnerships. LLTR embodies the spirit and perfectly fits the criteria of the Literacy Award.

Michelle Calupca, Head Administrator at the Lansing Community Library (LCL), stated in her nomination that she has watched LLTR from its inception steadily increase the number and quality of their projects. Many of the programs are now annual events that children and parents look forward to and depend on each year.

She further said, "One of LLTR's initial projects is the Zero to Three Jubilee, an annual celebration of our community's youngest children and their families which includes music, baby sign language, story time, family yoga, free new and gently used board books, and a community resource table, all offered in collaboration with LCL, the Child Development Council, and Head Start. Another LLTR initiative is the Summer Reading Buddy Program, a crucial program that has shown significant results. Children are referred by the elementary school to LLTR where they are matched with a community volunteer. Buddies meet at the library, sign up for library cards and the library's Summer Reading Program, and read together. For a number of children this is their first visit to the community library. This effort showed immediate results in its first year with many children not only preventing the 'summer slide' but actually raising their reading levels. Other yearly projects include Story Time at the Park in July and August with volunteers that include musical professionals, elementary and library personnel, and early childhood professionals, the Bag of Books project, Story Walk, and Reading Summer Camp. Another special project that is the Reading Rock Stars! a reading buddy program for middle school children during the school year. A new project for 2018 will include a therapy dog in the Summer Reading Buddy Program."

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