This summer, families with young children who sign up for our summer reading program also have the opportunity to sign up for our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. It asks families to read—you guessed it—1,000 books together before their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers become kindergarteners. After finishing 1,000 books, each child gets to pick out a … Read more
Share books, songs, and play in our parks Weather permitting, come check out books in Oak Park parks, engaging with neighbors, and signing up for our kids’ summer reading program, Reading Takes You Everywhere. Then, see where else the Book Bike will be this summer » “This idea stemmed from what we heard while talking with young families and … Read more
Opting for a staycation this spring break? Join us for events and activities at your library while school is out for Oak Park Elementary School District 97 March 26-31. Browse all Kids & Families events » American Girl Mystery EventMonday, March 26, 2–3:30 pm, Dole Branch. Decipher the clues and interact with Multicultural Collection artifacts … Read more
At 19-months-old Elliott’s house, reading is definitely a priority! Here, Elliott poses for his celebratory “first finisher” photo, part of his formal recognition as the first child to finish the library’s 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. Since its November launch, 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten has attracted more than 600 families to sign up with their … Read more
On Wednesday, January 17, more than 200 community members attended the inaugural Oak Park Code Fest, a collaborative event put together by Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park Elementary District 97 teacher librarians, and community members. Students from all 10 schools in grades K-8 attended with their families to explore coding apps, robots, and websites. For an … Read more
By Frances Kraft As parents, teachers, and family members, we hope to foster in our children a love of reading from the earliest age. We encourage them to get lost in a book and allow their imagination to take them anywhere they want to go. Books eliminate boundaries and erase borders in our minds. But in reality, … Read more
Earlier this year, the Collaboration for Early Childhood circulated a community survey targeted at parents with kids ages 0–5, aiming to gather input on the resources and activities parents would like to see in our community. Through survey results shared with the library, we learned that local families want more resources and support for managing … Read more
Check out students’ six-word stories in the catalog and by see more work by searching Twitter with #HackingHemingway Tweens and teens are digital learners, creators Inspired by old Hemingway family photos digitized earlier this year through a state grant to the library, Oak Park tweens and teens showed “a burst of creativity” in their classrooms and at the library this spring, … Read more
When it comes to learning, there is no such thing as starting too early. Research tells us how important it is to introduce literacy concepts to children in their first years of life, even as newborns. It’s why we strategically support parents, caregivers, teachers, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers—with library-based resources and expertise as well as … Read more
By Carolyn Newberry Schwartz Executive Director, Collaboration for Early Childhood “Baby can’t wait” is a phrase you hear often at the Collaboration for Early Childhood. A compelling body of research shows the vital role early experiences play in a child’s ability to grow up healthy and ready to succeed. The Collaboration for Early Childhood, a public/private partnership, was … Read more
