Inspiring children of all ages to love reading and become empowered through literacy and learning is integral to CREA and our programs. It is through literacy that minds and worlds are expanded. Access to books is scarce in rural Nicaragua, and thus few families have books in their homes. With this in mind, the focus of the Library Services program is two-fold: provide books for children, and foster joy of reading. To accomplish this, Library Services is made up of several programs and services:
– CREA’s lending library enables participants to use a CREA library card to check out books to take home and share with their families. With over 6,000 books, 16 computers, and internet access, the library affords the rural communities of Tola opportunities to learn.
– The Mobile Library is a bookmobile that delivers books and educational programming weekly to young learners and their families in the most remote and mountainous areas of Tola. Community members travel on foot from their surrounding homes to centrally located sites to check out books and engage in programs. During these visits, trained Nicaraguan library staff engage participants of all ages in reading, song, and movement, to support literacy and learning.
– CREA’s Reading Clubs Program organizes children and youth into reading levels and provides them access to copies of the same book. Staff members facilitate engagement with the material, and encourage participants to read, analyze, and discuss the story with their peers. Through these interactions, participants advance their reading and comprehension abilities in positive ways, which encourages continued learning.
– Finally, the Mommy and Me Program engages the youngest learners and their mothers in programming designed to connect parents and children through reading, singing, and movement activities. Mothers and their toddlers meet weekly to explore early literacy development and cultivate a culture of reading.
Inspiring children of all ages to love reading and become empowered through literacy and learning is integral to CREA and our programs. It is through literacy that minds and worlds are expanded. Access to books is scarce in rural Nicaragua, and thus few families have books in their homes. With this in mind, the focus of the Library Services program is two-fold: provide books for children, and foster joy of reading. To accomplish this, Library Services is made up of several programs and services:
– CREA’s lending library enables participants to use a CREA library card to check out books to take home and share with their families. With over 6,000 books, 16 computers, and internet access, the library affords the rural communities of Tola opportunities to learn.
– The Mobile Library is a bookmobile that delivers books and educational programming weekly to young learners and their families in the most remote and mountainous areas of Tola. Community members travel on foot from their surrounding homes to centrally located sites to check out books and engage in programs. During these visits, trained Nicaraguan library staff engage participants of all ages in reading, song, and movement, to support literacy and learning.
– CREA’s Reading Clubs Program organizes children and youth into reading levels and provides them access to copies of the same book. Staff members facilitate engagement with the material, and encourage participants to read, analyze, and discuss the story with their peers. Through these interactions, participants advance their reading and comprehension abilities in positive ways, which encourages continued learning.
– Finally, the Mommy and Me Program engages the youngest learners and their mothers in programming designed to connect parents and children through reading, singing, and movement activities. Mothers and their toddlers meet weekly to explore early literacy development and cultivate a culture of reading.