HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05202008 - C.41 • 0ti.s,-------.,per
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: Anne Cain, County Librarian Costa
DATE: May 20, 2008 sTA C001Z County
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE and APPROVE the Contra Costa County Librarian to Apply for
and Accept Funding Of$25,000 from the California State Library, Library Services
and Technology Act (LSTA) Early Learning with Families Program FY 2007/08
SPECIFIC REQUEST (S) OR RECOMMENDATION (S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
AUTHORIZE and APPROVE the Contra Costa County Librarian to apply for and accept $25,000 from the
California State Library, Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Early Learning with Families Program
FY 2007/08 (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number #45.310) to expand early literacy services
throughout the County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No matching funds are required; in-kind contributions include $5,595 in staff time and $1,500 in office supplies.
BACKGROUND
In 2006/07, Contra Costa County Library piloted an early literacy program that offered parent education
workshops and family literacy events in East County. The success of these programs led to greater demand for
these services throughout the County. The Early Learning with Families funds will allow the Library to expand
the program not only to other communities, but to Spanish-language speakers as well. Library staff will be
trained to take these programs out into communities; partnerships with other community agencies will provide
opportunities and venues for the programs; and program materials, including the Library's popular Growing Up
With Books brochure, will be translated into Spanish.
CONTRA COSTA CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT
Current research on early literacy and brain development indicates that it is never too early to prepare children
for success as readers. This grant provides an opportunity to inform parents and caregivers about the essential
pre-reading skills children should have by the time they start school. The parent education workshops and the
Spanish-language Growing Up With Books brochure will allow the Library to promote its services and resources
for children, their parents, and caregivers in the community. These services and resources support the Children
Ready for and Succeeding in School community outcome.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ❑ YES SIGNATURE: 4 ��-
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ❑ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
LJ45PROVE ❑ OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): ,
ACTION OF BOOD N APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER ❑
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS:
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
AYES: NOES:
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED
Contact: Anne Cain,County Librarian JOHN CULLFY,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
(925)646-6423 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
cc: County Library Administration
County Administrator By Q Deputy
County Auditor
O:\BOS\FY 07-08\Board Orders\LSTA Growing Up With Books 2007-08.doc
California State Library
Library Services and Technology Act(LSTA)
Fiscal Year 2007/2008
ELF- Continuation
APPLICATION (LSTA 6)
Submit ORIGINAL (please sign in blue ink) and five (5) copies to be received by 4:00 p.m. on May 4,
2007 to Attn: Suzanne Flint, Library Development Services, California State Library, P.O. Box 942837,
Sacramento, CA 94237-0001, for mail. (non-postal delivery: 900 N Street, Suite 500, Sacramento, CA,
95814). FAX is not acceptable. For additional information: (916) 651-9796 or sflint@library.ca.gov.
1. Project title: Growing Up With Books: A Parent and Caregiver Resource
2. Applicant organization/jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
Web page URL: www.ccclib.org
Director's name: Anne Cain Phone: 925-646-6423
E-mail: acain@ccclib.org Fax: 925-646-6461
3. Address: 1750 Oak Park Blvd., Library Administration, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
4. Children's Services contact: Lyn Palme Phone: 925-927-3288
E-mail: 1palme@ccclib.org Fax: 925-646-6461
Address (if different from#3): same
5. Literacy Services contact: Susan Lynn Phone: 925-927-3249
E-mail: slynn@ccclib.org Fax: 925-646-6461
6. How many children (5 years of age and younger)and their parents/caregivers will be
directly served as clients by this project? 33,782
Source of this number(e.g., government demographics, library circulation records, etc.):
2000 Census, American FactFinder Data Base
7. What amount of LSTA funding is requested? $25,000
Page 1 of 8 Manage#10827
Project title: Growing Up With Books
Applicant/Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
8. Project Summary: Describe the enhancements and/or service expansion envisioned for this grant
year. How will this envisioned work further ELF values and goals? How does the proposed work
build upon the lessons learned and/or initial work undertaken in year 1? (Complete in space
provided.)
In 2006-07,the Contra Costa County Library piloted an early literacy program that incorporated the goals and values of
the California State Library's Early Learning with Families Initiative. Parent education workshops and family literacy
events were developed and presented in the communities of Bay Point, Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood,
which are all located in East Contra Costa County. Through testing, evaluation, and modification, the pilot project
helped the Library identify specific program features that improve overall service design and provide the tools
necessary for successful delivery in each of the Library's communities:
• Train and develop an early literacy team. The Library will build a well-trained, highly motivated team to offer
early literacy services. A goal of 25 staff trained by the end of the year has been established.
• Partner with established agencies. The Library has established relationships with several community agencies
and preschools, and will assemble a community contacts list for use by all staff.
• Take the program outside the library. Transportation issues in the County often preclude in-library programs for
many new families. The early literacy team will do at least one presentation each month in a target community, and
staff in all library locations will be encouraged to address local needs and interest with support from the early
literacy team, with a total goal of 24 presentations.
• Combine efforts of Project Second Chance, the Contra Costa County Library's adult literacy program,and
early literacy staff. Joining these two library service groups for the project strengthens its overall effectiveness.
Experienced literacy staff will provide training for the early literacy team and other staff to enhance service
delivery for parents with low literacy skills.
• Focus on parent education. The greatest impact will come from helping parents and caregivers to understand their
role as a child's first teacher. The pilot project resulted in an attractive, portable PowerPoint presentation that can
be easily modified, so the early literacy team and other presenters may respond appropriately to different settings
and audiences.
• Use Spanish language materials and speakers. By incorporating Spanish language into the program,the Library
will further its outreach in an effective, friendly manner. All parent outreach materials will be translated into
Spanish for 2007-08 activities and presentations will be conducted in Spanish when appropriate.
• Include library education. By encouraging library use, new parents are kept on the path to early literacy,
language and play. Parents are given library cards and incentives during presentations.
The Contra Costa County Library's "Growing Up With Books" program adapts the Public Library Association's
"Every Child Ready to Read" model to a more accessible format that offers descriptive, not prescriptive, information
about early literacy to parents and caregivers. By creating a brief 20-minute presentation and a longer 40-minute
version, presenters are equipped to offer either version depending on location and audience, without monopolizing the
time of busy families and childcare workers.
In addition to the presentations, grant funding will provide opportunities for parents and caregivers to meet with
childhood specialists and attend family entertainment programs that incorporate and reinforce the use of language and
song. Attendees will leave the presentations with gift books and finger puppets that will encourage continued practice
of reading and meaningful play at home. They will be encouraged to visit the library and be issued library cards at the
end of each presentation. All of this activity will leave parents and caregivers with greater confidence in their roles as a
child's first teachers by giving them the tools to provide the early learning opportunities their children need to develop
essential pre-reading skills. As more of these presentations are offered and larger numbers of parents, caregivers, and
organizations that serve children and their families become familiar with the program, there will also be greater
community awareness of the Library's role as an early childhood development center and parenting resource.
Page 2 of 8 Manage#10827
Project title: Growing Up With Books
Applicant/Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
9. Who have you targeted to benefit from the service expansion or library enhancements envisioned
and why? Provide some characteristics of the families/childcare providers you hope to involve.
(Include the number of children 0-5 years of age in your service area as well as the existence or
lack of other services in your community that provide early learning opportunities.)
During the pilot project conducted over the last year, it became clear that there is still significant need for early literacy
services in East Contra Costa County that must be addressed. Collectively, the communities of Bay Point, Pittsburg,
Antioch, Oakley, and Brentwood have 19,090 children under the age of five,which is 9%of the total population for the
region. In addition to continuing the work in those communities, "Growing Up with Books" will also target the
communities of San Pablo,Concord and San Ramon. These three communities have significant populations of children
under the age of five. San Pablo has 2,738 children under the age of five,which is 9.1% of its total population; Concord
has 8,625 children under the age of five, which is 7.1% of its total population; and San Ramon has 3,329 children under
the age of five, which is 7.4% of its total population. While the expanded services will target these communities
specifically during the coming year, early literacy services will be also implemented throughout the county as staff are
trained and community contacts are established. Countywide, the projection for the infant to five-year population in
2007 is 68,000 to 80,000 children. This is one of the largest infant populations of the 9 Bay Area counties. Within the
newly targeted cities, the collective populations fall into these categories: African American-6.1%, Asian-13.9%,
Latino-22.1%, White-62%, American Indian-.04%, 2 or more races-4.8%. These figures are from the 2000 Census,
American FactFinder Data Base.
10. What outreach strategies do you plan to utilize to engage your targeted audience?
The most effective outreach strategy Contra Costa County Library will utilize is to meet with target audiences in their
own communities, outside the library setting. Being available, flexible, and willing to travel anywhere is key to finding
appropriate audiences and successful outreach. The mobility of a well-trained staff is a way of overriding distance,
building limitations, and other barriers. Surveys conducted in Contra Costa's Latino community discovered that the
greatest obstacle to library use was the lack of transportation. By seeking off-site locations where parents gravitate,the
library can reach target populations with key information and provide gentle encouragement on parenting and literacy
activities. While transportation may remain a problem, community visits empower parents to be their child's first
teacher, regardless of the physical circumstances.
The Library's second strategy is to make use of established relationships with other family and child-centered agencies
to find audiences. The early literacy team will build a database of organizations and locations where presentations may
be offered. Informational letters will be sent to each contact to request opportunities to provide presentations.
Community library staff will also use the contact list as a resource for scheduling presentations and will contribute to
the content of the file as they make their own community contacts.
According to the Association of Bay Area Governments, in 2006, over 32% of the population in Contra Costa County
speak Spanish in their households. Therefore, a third effective strategy for reaching parents is to have all materials for
the program available in Spanish and to deliver the early literacy presentation in Spanish whenever appropriate. The
Library will translate the "Growing Up With Books" brochure into Spanish. This brochure will be used not only to
inform parents about the developmental stages of children and critical pre-reading skills, but will also be used to
encourage attendance at Spanish-language presentations and to promote library services.
Another strategy will be to create a team of well-trained, highly motivated presenters that will put a friendly face on the
library and attract families to community libraries. This team will meet regularly to share their knowledge and build
upon their field experience. The group will be responsible for updating the PowerPoint programs. The group will also
track the number of presentations, participants and will collect and make regular evaluations. Evaluations will be
collected from parents who attend the "Growing Up with Books"presentations, organizations who engage the program
and the presenters themselves. These will be reviewed quarterly during the grant year. Team meetings will also serve
as an opportunity for the group to learn about what other libraries are doing to serve young children and their families.
Page 3 of 8 Manage#10827
Project title: Growing Up With Books
Applicant/Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
For the final strategy,the Library will use books and puppets as incentive gifts to attract parents to presentations and to
provide tools that support continued reading and meaningful play at home. The Library will also schedule parenting
programs on a variety of topics, such as language and song, baby massage, baby signs, and toilet training, that will
attract "captive" audiences. This not only gathers parents to receive information, but also assures the library they leave
with appropriate material that reinforces that they have learned about play and language.
11. What other agencies and/or organizations will collaborate with you on this project? Describe their
role and indicate the identified contact person for each collaborative partner.
The organizations and agencies listed below are familiar with the library's "Growing Up with Books" program. They
have expressed interest in previewing or utilizing the program. These groups will be instrumental in gathering
audiences and providing venues where library staff may deliver the program. Many of these partners have already
requested the "Growing Up With Books" Program for parent meetings, caregiver trainings, school readiness events,
and information for new mothers clubs.
Organization: Contra Costa County Office of Education
Contact: Ms. Ruth Fernandez
Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development
Role: Provide outreach to caregivers
Organization: Contra Costa County Office of Education
Contact: Ms. Terrissa Hein
Education Liaison, Professional Development Program,
Role: Provide opportunities for caregiver trainings
Organization: Contra Costa Child Care Council
Contact: Mrs. Margaret Weigert-Jacobs
Director of Learning Institute
Role: Provide opportunities for caregiver and parent trainings
Organization: Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County
Contact: Susie Dove
Outreach Coordinator
Role: Provide outreach to caregivers
Organization: East Bay Perinatal Council- Pittsburg
Contact: Mary Helen Roche
Program Coordinator
Role: Provide opportunities for presentations at parent preschool meetings
Organization: First Baptist Head Start- Local Agent for Area Head Starts, Pittsburg
Contact: Ginger Novak
Family Child Care Director
Role: Provide outreach to parents and caregivers
Organization: Hispanas Unidas Association
Contact: Rina LaCuesta
Latino Mothers'Club
Role: Provide access to parents for presentations
Page 4 of 8 Manage#10827
Project title: Growing Up With Books
Applicant/Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
12. Do Children's Services and Literacy Services continue to collaborate regarding ELF? How will the
proposed project affect this partnership?
Project Second Chance and the Early Literacy Office will collaborate in the next year to effectively instruct library staff
on how to engage parents and provide meaningful descriptions of early literacy and pre-reading activities. Together the
two will create a training plan designed to provide staff with background into early literacy and child development,
presentation tips and techniques, and insights on the challenges faced by new parents on the road to literacy. Staff will
learn how to introduce parents with low literacy skills to ways of integrating language and books into their child's life
through gentle play and conversation without being required to read. With pictures, activities, wordless picture books,
sharing, and modeling, staff can describe early literacy and discuss what parents can do to help their child connect to
the larger world of language. Parents will see how simple acts of speaking and holding their child not only builds a
bond between themselves and their child,but also a bridge to learning and meaningful play.
A first session will include an overview on why and how early literacy has become a service in libraries across the
country. The session will point to important studies such as "Meaningful Differences" by Betty Hart and other works.
This places the library's work in a larger context that provides vision and change, but also supports their immediate
efforts with practical materials and examples. A second session will focus on literacy awareness. Project Second
Chance will show the DVD "How Difficult Can this Be?" after which a panel of adult literacy students and tutors, who
are also parents, will discuss the work. Librarians will hear firsthand about the challenges of becoming literate. The
session will provide staff with greater familiarity and understanding of the adult literacy program, the FFL program,
and how it feels to have low literacy skills. Finally, staff will have an in-service morning with Renee Arnold from
Multnomah County Library in Oregon. The purpose of this presentation is two-fold: to see models of early literacy
outreach and to learn how other libraries work with low literacy and low-income families outside the library.
The enhancements generated by ELF grant funds will work to consolidate, strengthen, and build greater effectiveness
for the Library and its early literacy services. More connectedness between Project Second Chance, the early literacy
team and other youth services staff will integrate services and programs throughout the Library. Adult literacy,
community library activities, and early literacy programs will no longer be viewed as separate entities. Youth services
staff will make more knowledgeable referrals to the Families for Literacy program and the adult literacy program.
Youth services staff will also seek expanded roles in early literacy programming and incorporate the age level service
into community library service plans. The Early Learning for Families initiative offers the early literacy team and youth
services staff more exposure to partnerships, library planning and professional development through participation in
grant activity. Project Second Chance will direct FFL participants to "Growing Up With Books" presentations
scheduled in their community or nearby communities. Presenting library staff will be informed of FFL families'
attendance. Presentations where FFL participants are included will contain examples of early literacy practice for
parents that do not require reading. Presenters will also learn from the adult literacy program how and when to refer
families to the FFL program. It is hoped that this collaboration will increase participation in the FFL program and
greatly enhance the services offered to those participants.
13. How will families with young children benefit from the service expansion or library enhancements
envisioned? What impact do you anticipate on the library?
In the past year, several Contra Costa County Library locations started infant programs that focus on providing parents
and caregivers with critical information and tools needed to support their role as a child's first teacher. In these
presentations, staff describe simple techniques for incorporating meaningful play in a child's day, demonstrate
appropriate activities, and offer opportunities for practice, so that parents and caregivers leave feeling confident in their
ability to fulfill this role. With continued funding, these sessions will grow and more families will benefit from the
Library's early literacy services. Children in families will benefit by having gift books and puppets in their home for
continued exposure to reading and meaningful play. Also, informed parents will take advantage of library services by
bringing their children to community libraries for programs and materials, and parents with low literacy skills may also
sign up for Project Second Chance's Families for Literacy program. Over time, there will be greater community
awareness of the Library's role as an early childhood development center and parenting resource. Higher attendance at
Page 5 of 8 Manage 410827
Project title: Growing Up With Books
Applicant/Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
lapsit, toddler and preschool story times are expected, as is greater circulation of materials recommended during
presentations and in materials distributed to parents. Project Second Chance also anticipates increased numbers in the
FFL program.
14. What is your library's capacity for administering the outcomes data collection tools?
The Contra Costa County Library fully intends to participate in the outcomes data collection as instructed by the State
Library. The Library will administer surveys as instructed within the requested time frames and provide the resulting
data to the State Library for centralized analysis. The Library is committed to assessing and evaluating programs, and
believes it is an important factor in the planning and development of library services.
15. Describe your plans for sustaining ELF beyond this grant year.
A variety of both financial and service factors will sustain Contra Costa County Library's Early Learning with Families
program, "Growing Up with Books":
• Both the early literacy team and individual community libraries will apply for Contra Costa First 5 Commission
Grants.
• Library staff in community libraries will request funds from their local Friends of the Library groups to maintain or
initiate service in their communities.
• A portion of Contra Costa County Library's Wilruss funding for early literacy services will be allocated to the
program.
• Project Second Chance and the early literacy team will continue to offer training for staff that are new to early
literacy services and additional training for staff currently involved in the program to enhance service delivery.
• Increasing community awareness of the program will be a priority for the early literacy team and will lead to a
greater number of opportunities to conduct the presentations and connect with parents and caregivers in each
community.
• Strengthening each connection with a partnering agency will provide additional opportunities and possible funding
sources.
• Ongoing evaluation and refinement will streamline the program, increase effectiveness and enhance service
delivery.
16. Budget Summary LSTA Other funds In-kind Total
(1) (2) (3) (4)
a. Salaries and benefits $0 $0 $5,595 $5,595
b. Library materials $0 $0 $0 $0
c. Operation $25,000 $0 $1,500 $26,500
d. Equipment(5k/unit) $0 $0 $0 $0
e. Subtotal $0 $0 $0 $0
f. Indirect cost $0 $0 $0 $0
g. Total $25,000 $0 $7,095 $32,095
Page 6 of 8 Manage#10827
Project title: Growing Up With Books
Applicant/Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County Library
17. Budget Narrative: Please describe and itemize all staffing, salaries (including benefit percentages),
library materials, and operations. Also identify what other funds, and their source,will be
available for the project and the nature of the in-kind support that will be provided. PLEASE
NOTE: ELF funds are not intended for the purchase of computer equipment and/or software.
LSTA funds will be used to translate and print the "Growing Up With Books" brochure in Spanish at a total cost of
$10,000.00. Age-appropriate books and finger puppets will be purchased, along with Public Library Association's
nursery rhythm booklet, for distribution to families at each presentation. These items will cost $12,000.00, and will
serve both as incentives for attendance and as support for continuing pre-reading activities at home. The Library will
also engage five speakers. The first speaker, Renee Arnold of Multnomah County in Oregon, will conduct training for
the early literacy team and other library staff on early literacy services. Four other speakers will conduct presentations
to parents on language and song, baby massage, baby signs, and toilet training. The total cost for all five speakers is
$3,000.
Contra Costa County Library's in-kind contribution will cover the cost of staff time for all grant activities and the cost
of printing flyers for promotion of the workshops and handouts to be distributed during the presentations, which will
cost approximately $1,500. One Library Specialist will be responsible for the preparation and presentation of all
training sessions,and will oversee all early literacy team activities. This will require a minimum of 30 hours at a cost of
$1,521. Ten Librarians will be involved in the preparation and presentation of 24 workshops, for a total of 48 hours and
a cost of$2,230. Eight Library Assistants will also be involved in the presentation of those workshops, for a total of 36
hours and a cost of$1,229. Additional staff time will be needed for the ordering of materials and preparation of flyers
and press releases. This will require approximately 18 hours of Library Assistant time at a cost of$615.
Page 7 of 8 Manage#10827