Access to Relevant Books Leads to Lifelong Reading

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

By Mark W.F. Condon, Unite for Literacy vice president

Taylor is a 19-month-old with a passion for reading. His family found an old bookcase and refinished it for his nursery as a place to keep his handful of books, but now it is bulging with titles of all kinds. This is because Taylor and his family make the most of a public library that is within walking distance of their house. His book collection is continually being refreshed, and he’s an active participant in selecting new titles. Though tiny in stature, he’ll lug two or three of his favorites over to anyone who enters his home, expecting the visitor to read with him. It’s hard to imagine a more voracious reader than this not-yet-2-year-old!

While Taylor’s mommy and daddy are completely sold on the impact of reading books with their baby, other parents are just discovering the importance of reading to their little ones. Pediatricians, childcare providers, preschool teachers, and family friends can all be deliverers of  this important message. Still, there are some families who are unaware of the power of books for their babies, nor do they have the finances to provide new titles for their children.  And yet a child’s growth in literacy is supported by books in their home, and the opportunity to relax and talk about them with their families.

That is where public libraries and online libraries, like Unite for Literacy’s, can help. We provide free digital books for families all over the world. We want to ensure that kids everywhere have enough books to support a natural development of their early literacy. Rich conversations spring from children’s enjoyment of the language and illustrations in books they select and enjoy.

All our books are published in English, with narrations by fluent native speakers of more than 60 other languages. We also have books written and narrated by native speakers of Spanish, as well as a new collection created for refugee Ukrainian children whose worlds have been flipped upside down by war.  (To view the list of narration options, click on the globe icon at the top of the library’s homepage. If a book is narrated in the language you choose, a blue tab will appear beneath a book cover.)

And we have just begun. Billions of families with children, new to reading, still need books that feature their languages and cultures. Our goal is to serve those with an abiding need for access to picture books that are relevant to them.

Unite for Literacy’s library readership has grown large and fast through word of mouth. A hearty “Thanks!” goes to our eager partners and energetic fans who are responsible for continuing to spread the good (and free!) news.

Can you or a group to which you belong help us reach more families? It is quite simple to do:

·      Tell friends, local schools and librarians and neighbors about the work we do, and our mission—our commitment—to ensure we can reach readers everywhere, for free and forever!

·      Share links to your own favorite books with relatives and loved ones.

·      Contact us to find out how to get involved in bringing these reading riches to your community: suggesting new books, getting involved in translating and narrating our books in new languages, getting ideas to help children in your community to love books and reading long before they enter formal schooling.

Let’s Unite for Literacy!