91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – At 1 p.m. CDT on May 4, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Public Library Association (PLA) will host a free for the eagerly anticipated "Every Child Ready to Read_® (ECRR) @ your library^® 2^nd Edition."

Featuring , professor in educational studies, University of Michigan School of Education, and , independent library consultant, this hour-long webinar will provide a review of the early literacy research that led to the development of the "ECRR 2^nd Edition"; an overview of the toolkit’s components; and an opportunity for participants to ask questions.

Registration for the is free and is open to members and nonmembers alike.

The ECRR program provides public libraries and other early literacy centers with tools to help prepare parents/caregivers for their critical role as their child's first teacher. The "2^nd Edition" toolkit includes a series of customizable workshops that demonstrate how parents, grandparents, childcare providers and preschool teachers can use five simple practices—talking, singing, reading, writing and playing—to develop language and pre-reading skills in children from birth to age 5. "Every Child Ready to Read^® @ your library^® 2^nd Edition" is scheduled to be available in June 2011.

"ECRR 2^nd Edition" was researched and written by Dr. Susan Neuman and Dr. Donna Celano, assistant professor, Communication Department, LaSalle University.

ALSC is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,200 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit their website at .

is a division of the 91´«Ã½. PLA’s core purpose is to strengthen public libraries and their contribution to the communities they serve. Its mission is to enhance the development and effectiveness of public library staff and public library services.