Growing Readers Together: Early Literacy Services Beyond Your Library
May 16, 2017 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT
Your library has a thriving storytime program, strong collection of board and picture books, perhaps parenting classes, and other services to support young families inside your library, but now you want to share those services beyond your library walls? How can you reach parents, unlicensed childcare providers, and young children that don’t come to your library–often the very population that needs library services the most?
Join us for this interactive session to explore valuable community partnership opportunities, promotional possibilities, and methods for providing outreach to families, unlicensed childcare providers, and beyond. We will discuss research-based practices in Colorado libraries; potential collaborations; challenges and successes around outreach; and come away with practical ideas you can implement in your library.
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Facilitators: Joyce Johnson & Pamela Mejia de Rodriguez
Joyce Johnson, MSW, has over thirty years’ experience as a social worker serving children, youth & families. Throughout her career, Ms. Johnson has held both direct service and administrative positions, including work as a home visitor, counselor, program coordinator and project director. Her career has included jobs in small, community-based non-profit organizations, as well as positions in government at both the state and local levels. She is new to the library world, but sees great overlap between social work & librarianship, and is passionate about the role that community organizations play in supporting families. Originally from New England, Joyce has been in Colorado since 1988, is married to a fiber artist (weaving/tapestry) and shares the journey of parenting two independent & courageous young women with him. She’s also an avid reader, a dog & cat lover, and a budding baseball fanatic- Go Rockies!
Pamela Mejia, M.ED, has over 10 years’ experience in early childhood education, serving children from birth through preschool. Throughout her career, she has being bi-lingual teacher and coordinator from public and private schools; including project coordinator and career counselor for young adults. Her career has included job as early literacy and early math for children with special education needs and children of low income families, as well as job with community-based non-profit organizations.
Originally from Dominican Republic, Pamela has been in Colorado since last year, is married to an international public relations of baseball player for MLB Alumni. They both love to travel and to help the community. She is a book lover and a romantic writer on her free time.