raising readers Partners with the Maine Family Literacy Initiative and Public Libraries to Support the Literacy of Maine Families

Reading is one of the best ways parents can help their children develop a love of books and reading and prepare them to learn to read. However, access to books and the parent's own literacy level can be barriers to making that happen. A partnership between raising readers, the Maine Family Literacy Initiative, and select public libraries is designed to help overcome those barriers.

Combining the raising readers books with access to family literacy services offered by Maine Family Literacy Initiative (MEFLI) grantees is the concept behind this partnership. MEFLI programs across the state work with families to address the learning and literacy needs of both adults and children. Integrating the books that families receive from raising readers into family literacy services deepens their impact and helps families get the most out of them.

Eight public libraries will provide access to the books by family literacy programs and others. The Maine State Library facilitated a process to identify one library in each of eight counties to house the raising readers book collections and collaborate with MEFLI on family literacy services. The participating libraries are:

Belfast Free Library
Camden Public Library
Cherryfield Public Library
Paris Public Library
Skowhegan Public Library
Strong Public Library
Waldoboro Public Library
Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft

A complementary collaboration with the state's Resource Development Centers provides access to raising readers books in the remaining eight counties.