Montana State Library to Participate in IMLS-funded School Readiness
Train-the-Trainer Program
(HELENA)---The Montana State Library is excited to start participating in the Reimagining School Readiness Train-the-Trainer program, as part of a larger grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services that was awarded to the Pacific Library Partnership (PLP).
PLP is partnering with the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) and the California State Library (CSL) to train libraries across the country on how to use the Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit to positively impact families and children in their communities. This program is now in its third year, and Montana is excited to participate.
The Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit was developed by the BADM in collaboration with the CSL and is a set of free resources which includes tips and strategies for librarians, as well as activities for children and caregivers, that prepare children for success in school.
“School readiness is an important benchmark for children and families to achieve, and this training will further help librarians prepare families in their communities to successfully transition into formal schooling. For more than fifteen years, MSL has helped Montana’s public libraries support early literacy and school readiness so the implementation of the toolkit can be seamlessly added to a librarian’s repertoire,” Jennie Stapp, Montana State Librarian said. “I am excited to see Montana libraries continue to advance in this work and help contribute to our students’ future learning success.”
As part of this project, MSL will send two Montana librarians to attend virtual trainings with BADM in January 2022, as well as plan workshops to train Montana librarians in the toolkit resources. Beyond 2022, MSL will plan to hold annual trainings to refresh and energize those who have already been trained, and to introduce new librarians to the toolkit and help them learn how to use it.
One of the trainers, Bayley Gibson from the Madison Valley Public Library, is eager to start with the program. “I am excited to be a part of bringing the ‘Reimagining School Readiness’ program to Montana libraries and communities,” Gibson said. “I believe it will be yet another wonderful and invaluable resource available to early childhood educators across the state.”
To find out more about the Reimagining School Readiness Train-the-Trainer program, or MSL’s early literacy initiative, Ready 2 Read, please contact Amelea Kim, Lifelong Learning Librarian at the Montana State Library at akim@mt.gov or 406-444-0224. You can also visit the Reimagining School Readiness webpage at https://libraries.msl.mt.gov/reimaginingschoolreadiness
Montana State Library
The Montana State Library helps all organizations, communities, and Montanans thrive through excellent library resources and services.
1515 E. 6th Ave | PO Box 201800 | Helena, MT 59601 | (406) 444-3115
msl.mt.gov
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