The Hickory Public Library has given a fresh look to its 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, an early literacy drive which the library hopes will foster a deeper love of reading among children before they hit their school years, as announced on their website. Aiming to gear up kids for a future where reading and learning go hand-in-hand, the initiative is open to all, completely free of charge, and encourages parents and caregivers to share a plethora of stories – a grand total of 1,000 books, to be precise – with their young ones before they step into a kindergarten classroom.
Starting next Monday, families interested in participating can register either at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library or Ridgeview Branch Library, or they can opt for the convenience of signing up online at the program's webpage, the library is doubling down on accessibility allowing parents to track their child's reading journey either through the Beanstack app or by old-fashioned paper logs where each and every book counts, regardless of its length, the reader, or location it's being read. To keep spirits high and reward progress, children will earn a prize after every 100-book milestone and those hitting 500 and 1,000 books will receive additional rewards, with a keepsake book bestowed upon those who meet the 1,000-book goal.
For those kids already knee-deep in pages from the preceding program, they'll find their place preserved, as their progress will automatically roll over into the new system. The library is setting up celebratory kick-off events with the first one happening at 10 a.m. at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library next Tuesday, followed by another the next day and a subsequent afternoon event at Ridgeview Branch Library on January 17, the events are family-friendly and designed to get kids excited about their literary journey ahead.
Located in the heart of Hickory, Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and Ridgeview Branch Library are local beacons of knowledge, each playing a pivotal role in the Hickory public community to find out more about this initiative or other services the library offers, Stephanie Abbott, Head of Youth Services, can be reached through email at [email protected], or interested individuals can visit the library's announcement page for the full scope of what's available to young readers and their families.
