Plug In and Read

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Plug In and Read is an interactive story time that focuses on building early literacy skills through the use of technology. Launched in December 2014, the program is geared towards children ages 3-5 years old, and is structured much like a classroom literacy lesson to help prepare children for entering Kindergarten. The story time helps to foster school-readiness by both developing early literacy skills and 21st century digital literary skills. The use of technology is woven throughout N.C. public schools’ standards as early as Kindergarten. The public library is in a unique position to be able to offer educational programming for preschool-aged children at no cost to parents at an age before they could receive free public education. Plug In and Read provides the opportunity for young children who may not have access to technology at home to become familiar with interactive whiteboard instruction, and also provides them the opportunity to access librarian-selected educational apps on iPads. The program was designed to reach out to the county’s youngest citizens to help jump-start a love for learning and reading through developing early literacy skills with the help of technology. Attendance results and anecdotal evidence demonstrate positive measurable results and the success of the program.