Colorado State Library announces 5th year of Growing Readers Together

The Colorado State Library (CSL) is excited to announce a 5th year of funding by the Buell Foundation for Growing Readers Together!

Buell has invested more than $1 million for Colorado public library systems across the state and the CSL to implement and evaluate Growing Readers Together.  Between 2016 and 2020, 37 library systems (50 individual branches) have received Buell sub-grant funds to develop innovative offerings that engage informal Family, Friend & Neighbor (FFN) child care givers with early literacy offerings and learning.

Building on those experiences, in 2021 the Colorado State Library will work with and fund up to 15 public library systems throughout Colorado.  Grant awards will support Growing Readers Together’s overall goals:

• FFN caregivers in Colorado will have the skills, confidence and resources to engage the children in their care with early literacy materials and activities daily.
• Public library staff in Colorado will have strategies to connect FFN caregivers in their area with early literacy services.
• CSL will develop state-level infrastructure for early literacy support to FFN caregivers and the children in their care.
• Children under six throughout the state will be exposed to language and literacy-rich experiences in informal childcare settings and at the library.

More information about applying for Growing Readers Together funds will be shared in January. In addition, in January we will be sharing a report showcasing the successes of the 37 Colorado library systems and their Growing Readers Together work.