91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA) announce the release of a new Every Child Ready to Read® product. The is now available as a digital download from the 91´«Ã½ Store.

is a parent education initiative that stresses that early literacy begins with the primary adults in a child’s life. It empowers public libraries to assume an essential role in supporting early literacy within their communities.

The Every Child Ready to Read @ your library Toolkit for Spanish-Speaking Communities contains everything you need to offer Every Child Read to Read programming for your Spanish-Speaking patrons. This digital download is a turnkey product that includes Spanish-language activities and booklists.

"According to the Pew Research Center, 94 percent of parents say libraries are important for their children," said ALSC President Starr LaTronica. "The parent-child interaction is critical for early literacy and we're ecstatic about potential impact of this product for reaching new communities of library-goers.”

“Empowering parents to connect with their children in their native language is extremely valuable and enables more fluent interaction and teaching at home,” added PLA President Carolyn Anthony. “This toolkit is a wonderful bilingual enhancement to the teachings of Every Child Ready to Read.”

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) a division of the 91´«Ã½, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 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 .

The Public Library Association (PLA) is a division of the 91´«Ã½. PLA’s core purpose is to strengthen public libraries and their contribution to the communities they serve, and its mission is to enhance the development and effectiveness of public library staff and public library services. Learn more at .