a

How Museums and Libraries 

Create Lifelong Learners

Growing Young Minds
Institute of Museum and Library Services

1800 M Street NW, 9th Floor

Washington, DC 20036

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recording of this publication upon request.

Printed June 2013 in the United States of America

Project Team

Produced by the IMLS Office of Strategic Partnerships, under the direction of 

Marsha Semmel, Director, in conjunction with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.

Mamie Bittner, Director, Office of Communications and Government Affairs

Allison Boals, Program Specialist, Office of Strategic Partnerships

Mary Lynn Howard, Consultant and Author

Andrea Camp, Consultant
CONTENTS

A Call to Action 4

America’s New Learning Landscape 9

10 Ways Museums and Libraries Support 

Community Early Learning Efforts 14

More to Be Done: Toward an Agenda for 

Further Research 26

Recommendations for Action 26

Success Spotlights 29

Endnotes 42

List of Contributors 44 14

29

4
Dear Colleague,

It is a pleasure to present Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners. This report 

issues a call to action: Now is the time for policy makers and practitioners to fully use the capacity of libraries and museums in their early learning efforts. This is critical because we must work together to reach the 

all-too-many children who are still left out of effective community early learning opportunities and resources, 

and disconnected from the powerful programs for children, parents, and caregivers that you will read about in 

this report.

Libraries and museums reach millions of children each year. It is exciting to bring that capacity into focus so 

that libraries and museums can more effectively engage in early learning strategies at the community, state, and 

national levels.

This is the right moment to act. We know about the importance of early childhood learning to school and 

career success; we know that learning happens at home, in the community, all day and every day, and that rich 

learning experiences for parents, children, and their caregivers make a difference; and we know that to ignore 

the role of libraries and museums would be a tremendous loss.

Many of the programs you will read about in this report are supported by the Institute of Museum and Library 

Services (IMLS). We have a long history of identifying and funding innovative approaches that put young 

learners at the center and help social, civic, cultural, and educational organizations work in partnership in 

communities and at the state and national levels.

One example is the partnership with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading that is making this report 

possible. The Campaign—a collaborative effort among foundations, nonprofit partners, states, and communities—has made early literacy a key focus of its efforts to increase the number of low-income students reading 

proficiently by the end of third grade. The Campaign is currently working with 134 communities nationwide 

to address the challenges of school readiness, chronic absenteeism, and summer learning loss. Libraries and 

museums are playing a role in helping many of these communities—and others—meet these challenges.

I thank Ralph Smith, Ron Fairchild, and other members of the Campaign staff, as well as the many early 

learning policy makers, funders, and practitioners—within and outside of libraries and museums—who have 

contributed to this report. This work has been enriched immeasurably by your knowledge and perspectives.

With this report IMLS is deepening and expanding its commitment to the youngest and most at-risk children 

in the United States. We will be pursuing special efforts to assure that libraries and museums can reach underserved children and provide opportunities that can make a difference that will last a lifetime.

Sincerely,

Susan H. Hildreth

Director

2
Growing Young Minds

the imls commitment to early learning

 A partnership with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading focusing on the role of libraries and museums 

as vital partners in the 134 communities that are members of the Grade-Level Reading Communities 

Network.

 More than $2.5 million in grants to libraries and museums in FY 2012 to help children from low-income 

families reach the goal of reading on grade level by the end of third grade and a similar funding priority in 

FY 2013.

 A 2012 information memorandum developed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 

Offices of Child Care and Head Start to encourage partnerships with public libraries.

 A 2012 IMLS research brief, “Children’s Services at Public Libraries: A Port in the Storm,” published by the 

Urban Institute, MetroTrends.

 In their 2013–2017 Five-Year Plans, 100 percent of state library agencies are funding lifelong learning 

programs; 80 percent plan a focus on early learning. 

 A symposium and report, “The Twenty-First Century Learner: The Continuum Begins with Early Learning,” 

funded by IMLS and the Civil Society Institute and organized by the Association of Children’s Museums, 

the Association of Library Services for Young Children, and the Families and Work Institute (2003). 

3
A CALL TO ACTION

Libraries and museums can play a 

stronger role in early learning for all 

children. As our nation commits to 

early learning as a national priority 

essential to our economic and civic 

future,1

 it is time to become more 

intentional about deploying these 

vital community resources to this 

challenge.

Libraries and museums are trusted, welcoming places 

where children make discoveries, deepen common 

interests, expand words and knowledge, and connect 

their natural curiosity to the wider world. Neuroscientists tell us that the type of learning that occurs in 

these institutions—self-directed, experiential, contentrich—promotes executive function skills that can shape 

a child’s success in school and life. The experiences, 

resources, and interactions provided by libraries and 

museums build brains and fuel a love of learning.

Parents know this and flock to museums and libraries 

not only to support their child’s learning but also to 

bolster their important role as their child’s first teacher. 

The Pew Research Center’s recent report, Parents’ and 

Children’s Special Relationship with Reading and Libraries,

documents that an overwhelming percentage of parents 

of young children, especially those with annual incomes 

under $50,000, believe that libraries are “very important” for their children, and are eager for more and 

varied family library services.2

We have to work to ensure that more children and parents, especially those at low socioeconomic levels, can 

tap into the learning resources of libraries and museums. According to a recent IMLS analysis, only 36 percent of children with the lowest socioeconomic status 

visited libraries in their kindergarten year, compared 

to 66 percent of children in the highest; for museums, 

these figures are 43 percent versus 65 percent.3 Recent 

research points out that the disparity of access to learning resources between children of affluence and those 

in poverty has created a knowledge gap with serious 

S tudy after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the 

road ... So let’s do what works, and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind. 

Let’s give our kids that chance.

–President Barack Obama, State of the Union Address, February 12, 2013

4
Growing Young Minds

implications for students’ economic 

prosperity and social mobility.4

These data underscore the urgency 

of this report. Libraries—public 

and school—and museums of all 

types—art, history, and children’s 

museums; science centers; nature 

centers and gardens; aquaria; and 

zoos—form an extensive, diverse 

infrastructure of informal learning 

that is equipped to deliver critical 

early learning resources to young 

children and families, especially 

those most in need. Yet, in too many 

communities, museums and libraries 

are not “at the table” helping to craft 

the policies and practices that link 

children and their families to early 

learning resources.

It is critical to act now to incorporate, and leverage, our 

well-established informal learning system as an essential component of our nation’s early learning network. 

It is a wise use of limited resources, both funding and 

human capital, that will help our nation develop the 

potential of every child and result in a stronger economy, a more effective workforce, and a nation of learners. With an increased focus on their capacity, these 

institutions can be more essential early learning partners at the community, state, and national levels.

This report calls upon communities to engage libraries 

and museums as a key partner in comprehensive early 

learning strategies to grow young minds. It highlights 

the exciting work these institutions are doing around 

the country in partnership with communities to shape 

children’s outcomes in school and in life. We need to 

do more, especially for those low-income children who 

need more. If we can strengthen the country’s network 

of museums and libraries to be a greater force for early 

learning, effective learning opportunities for all children can deepen and grow.

5
6

Libraries and museums in communities across 

the country are expanding learning opportunities 

that prepare our youngest children for a lifetime 

of learning and success.

In New York City, recess becomes a scientific experience: playground equipment created at 

the New York Hall of Science allows children to learn about the science of light in the walk-in 

kaleidoscope or the physics of sound sending messages on the giant telephone tubes.

In Columbus, immigrant families attend at-home parties where, among peers, public library staff 

present reading readiness materials for parents to use with their children at home.

In Minneapolis, after hearing the story “Dog’s Colorful Day: A Messy Story about Colors and 

Counting,” children tour the Institute of Arts, hunt for a really big dog in a work of art and play with 

colors and counting.

In Atlanta, children visiting the Children’s Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens participate in 

cooking classes in the Edible Garden outside kitchen.

In Salt Lake City, children check out backpacks at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts full of puzzles, 

games, and activities and explore exhibits about Egypt, India, Europe, and America.
7

Growing Young Minds

In Richmond, young readers are maintaining and gaining skills, and beating the odds against 

summer slide, as they participate in the public library’s research-based summer reading program.

In Washington, D.C., at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC), educators take babies 

into different Smithsonian museums every day, exposing them to the objects, artifacts, artwork, and 

exhibitions to help build connections between the children’s known worlds and the larger world 

around them.

In Charlotte, North Carolina’s ImaginOn Center Story Lab, a joint venture of the CharlotteMecklenburg Public Library and the Children’s Theater of Charlotte, young readers gather at 

workstations and use software that guides them through the process of creating a theatrical scene, 

inventing a storyline, and designing the set and costumes.

In Chicago, at the Hamill Family Play Zoo, part of Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo, children and families 

touch animals, build habitats, paint murals, examine animal x-rays, and dress up like birds while 

building new understandings of animals. 
8

as we work together to meet early learning challenges, our nation’s 123,000 libraries and

17,500 museums are:

 Community anchors, cornerstones of our democracy, that provide safe and accessible civic spaces promoting lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and civic engagement, especially for underserved and vulnerable families and their children. 

 Connectors that bridge the generations and bring children, their parents, and their families together in fun 

and nonthreatening settings that build mutual knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy. 

 Innovative learning specialists that create “teachable moments” through exhibits, outreach programs, and environments that invite hands-on experiential learning.

 Stewards of rich cultural, scientific, environmental, and historical heritages, which offer robust collections of 

resources appealing to all disciplines and levels of learners. 

 Digital hubs that provide guidance for navigating new technologies and identify trusted online resources 

to help close the digital divide for all children, their parents, and caregivers. 
9

Growing Young Minds

AMERICA’S NEW LEARNING 

LANDSCAPE 

Libraries and museums have a long history of serving 

young children. They are virtually everywhere—from 

the smallest tribal community to the largest metropolitan area. As community repositories of literature, 

science, and heritage, museums and libraries build on 

how children learn best, by designing and delivering 

content-rich, play-based experiences that link early 

learning best practice to books, exhibits, and collections. Their resources prompt parents and caregivers 

to explore, pose questions, make connections, exchange 

information and ideas, and instill in young children not 

only a love of learning, but also the skills for learning. 

It is this established expertise that makes museums and 

libraries such valuable assets in community-wide efforts 

to promote early learning. The emerging learning landscape makes their participation imperative. 

This new landscape redefines where, when, and how 

learning occurs, calling for innovative environments 

where skills are developed across domains and knowledge is transferred from one situation to another, ultimately building the capacity to work in a world where 

“how to know” is as important as “what to know.” 5

New Skills for Learning

Contributing to this expanded view of where, when, and 

how learning takes place is a growing body of research 

that draws attention to an important set of foundation 

skills, anchored in children’s early social-emotional 

development. Known as executive function, these skills 

are key to a child’s earliest brain development, building 

focus and self-control, perspective taking, communication, and making connections. In the process of developing these executive function skills, children use their 

social, emotional, and cognitive capacities in pursuit of 

goals. These skills are the “how” of learning, enabling 

children to master the “what” of learning—reading, 

writing, social studies, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts. Taken 

together, they help children become self-directed, 

engaged learners.

Children’s Emotional Development Is Built into the Architecture of Their Brains

A growing body of scientific evidence demonstrates that emotional development begins early in life and 

is closely connected with the emergence of cognitive, language, and social skills. Early emotional development lays the foundation for later academic performance, mental health, and the capacity to form successful relationships. Despite this knowledge, most policies related to early childhood focus exclusively on 

cognitive development as it relates to school readiness, neglecting the importance of such capacities as 

the ability to regulate one’s own emotions and behavior and to manage successful interactions with other 

people. A report from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child presents an overview of the 

scientific research on how a child’s capacity to regulate emotions develops in a complex interaction with his 

or her environment and ongoing cognitive, motor, and social development. It then discusses the implications of this research for policies affecting young children, their caregivers, and service providers.

Source: National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2004). Children’s Emotional Development Is Built into the 

Architecture of Their Brains: Working Paper No. 2. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu
10

Human Brain Development

Neural Connections for Dierent Functions Develop Sequentially

Sensory Pathways

(VISION, HEARING)

Language

Higher Cognitive Function

-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 YEARS 

KINDERGARTEN ENTRY

 FIRST 12 MONTHS OF LIFE 

Source: Harvard University Center on the Developing Child

THIRD GRADE

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

WHY START AT BIRTH?

L ibraries and museums can tackle barriers to reading proficiency. As trusted local institutions, 

museums and libraries have the convening and staying power to help communities do the hard 

work of surfacing, connecting, linking, and replicating best practice and building local capacity. 

–Ralph Smith, Managing Director, 

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Senior Vice President, The Annie E. Casey Foundation
11

Growing Young Minds

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

A Widening Gap

In spite of our growing understanding that the early 

years are pivotal for later success and the recognition 

that important foundational skills and knowledge must 

be supported and nurtured during this critical period, 

too many children—especially those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable—continue to fall behind. Too 

many children are starting school without the language, 

cognitive, social, and emotional tools needed to succeed, 

and too many are reaching the critical third-grade mark 

unable to meet the expectations for ongoing success. 

Research shows that children who start behind will 

stay behind and in many cases continue to lose ground, 

making it more likely they will need costly remediation, 

be retained, or even drop out of school.6

These conditions disproportionately impact poor and 

minority children. Children who are poor — more than 

one out of five American children (22 percent) in 2010 

and 2011— are most likely to live in single-mother 

homes and be under the age of five.7

 The result: a large 

and growing segment of young children are growing up in under-resourced environments with striking 

gaps between resources and supports available to them 

as opposed to their more affluent peers. The stark disparities in both human and material resources between 

poor and more affluent populations has resulted in what 

Susan Neuman and Donna Celano, Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance (2012), call a “knowledge gap” and 

what David Brooks, (New York Times, 2012) and others 

are calling an “opportunity gap.” 8

 By whatever name, 

it is an issue that must be addressed, and museums and 

libraries should be part of the solution.
12

The Challenge

The challenge now for educators, families, policy 

makers, civic leaders, community-based institutions, 

and grant makers is to work together to find solutions. 

How can we create a coordinated set of services and supports that intentionally uses all learning entry points 

to effectively move children—especially those most at 

risk—successfully through the education continuum? 

Efforts to find solutions and implement strategies are 

taking place at every level of educational leadership and 

policy development. At the federal and state levels, new 

policies are being implemented to support children’s 

early learning success through broad-based systemsbuilding efforts and, in communities, these policies are 

being put into practice. 

Research provides strong evidence of the critical importance of community- or place-based efforts in supporting children’s growth and development, especially in 

the earliest learning years.9

 Local conditions can have 

a major impact on whether children succeed, and challenges must be addressed within the context of the 

community to assure effective solutions are reached. 

To that end, communities across the nation are coming 

together to develop plans to address problems and put 

policy strategies into action. 

At the heart of these efforts is an understanding that real 

change will only be accomplished through broad-based, 

multi-sector collaboration. Libraries and museums 

are well-positioned to be integral parts of coordinated 

efforts, but are too often untapped or disconnected 

resources in community efforts to support more positive outcomes for families and children. 

same city, worlds apart

In their 10-year analysis of conditions impacting learning and literacy development in two Philadelphia 

neighborhoods, Neuman and Celano (2012) identified enormous disparities in resources and opportunities 

between a poor community and an affluent community, including: 

 Children who have early access to print and technology continue to build and gain knowledge. Children 

who don’t have early access enter school far behind and are taught the “basics.”

 Children who read a lot know a lot. Those who don’t read as much lack reading speed and comprehension, reducing knowledge acquisition.

 Children with easy and regular access to computers are comfortable using search engines, filtering and 

comparing information sources, and using computers to support learning. Children without such access 

are unfamiliar with how to navigate and make decisions about the quality of information.
13

Growing Young Minds

Museums and Libraries—

Essential Community and Education Partners

Librarians and museum professionals are important facilitators of learning, working with families and caregivers 

and transforming visits to museums and libraries into 

“teachable moments” that connect children’s experience 

to deeper learning and knowledge. They are anchoring 

practices in research and partnering with other community service providers to provide generation-spanning, 

high-quality, informal learning opportunities. They are 

creating environments, programs, and experiences that 

expand and deepen the abilities of our youngest learners, their families, and caregivers. In turn, communities are beginning to recognize museums and libraries 

as key components of their early learning infrastructure, and school leaders are recognizing that engaging 

museums and libraries, including school librarians, can 

improve children’s outcomes in school.

public libraries survey in the united states: children’s programs and collections

 In the most recent national survey (2010), public libraries offered 3.75 million programs to the public. The 

majority of these programs (61.5 percent or 2.31 million) are designed for children aged 11 and younger. 

Attendance at programs increased 21.9 percent since FY 2005.

 Public libraries’ circulation continues to increase with 2.46 billion materials circulated in FY 2010, the 

highest circulation in 10 years. Circulation of children’s materials has increased by 28.3 percent in the last 

10 years and comprises over one-third of all materials circulated in public libraries.10
10

ways

MuseUMs and Libraries

Support Community Efforts

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
15

1

Libraries and museums provide easily accessible, high-quality early learning experiences to families and those 

who care for children outside the home. These institutions support the quality improvement efforts of many 

early learning programs; yet they play a particularly critical role for parents and providers caring for children in 

home-based programs, often called family, friend, and neighbor care. For many poor and vulnerable children, 

libraries and museums function as community “touch points,” providing engaging pathways into knowledge- and 

skill-building. 

Increasing high-quality early 

learning experiences

Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR), developed by the Public Library Association 

and the Association for Library Service to Children, is a research-based training 

model for parents and caregivers that supports early literacy development 

in children from birth to five. Grounded in six early literacy skills, the training 

uses basic, user-friendly activities to guide caregivers’ and parents’ abilities to 

understand and support early literacy development. The program has been 

successfully implemented by libraries across the country and is being enhanced 

with interactive online content for home use.

The Anchorage Public Library’s Ready to Read Resource Center mails books, 

puppets, CDs, and other literacy-based materials to child care providers and 

families in remote areas of Alaska. The Minnesota Children’s Museum partnered 

with the St. Paul Public Library system to install children’s exhibits in two 

underserved libraries to assure that families and those caring for children in family, 

friend, and neighbor care settings have local access to literacy-based interactive 

experiences. The California Science Center in Los Angeles has created Discovery 

Rooms, which include interactive exhibits, storytelling, hands-on Discovery Boxes, 

animal displays, and space for self-directed explorations of artifacts, models, and 

other materials. 

/

For many poor and vulnerable 

children, libraries and museums 

function as community “touch 

points,” providing engaging 

pathways into knowledge- and 

skill-building.

There are ten key ways in which museums and libraries are currently 

supporting communities’ efforts to develop a strong start for young 

children’s learning. Each way works to leverage the unique assets 

that libraries and museums offer to nurture the passion and skills for 

learning, promote seamless linkages between formal and informal 

learning, and engage children from low-income families so that they, 

too, can participate in the new learning landscape.
16

2 Engaging and supporting families

as their child’s first teachers

As trusted community anchors, museums and libraries are natural and safe places for families to go to learn 

together and access important resources. For families who do not have other links to community information, 

museums and libraries are places—and in some communities, the only places—where they can borrow books, 

learning backpacks, and other materials for home use; learn firsthand how to actively engage in age-appropriate 

ways with their children; or locate high-quality child and health care providers and other local services.

Family Place LibrariesTM, originating in New York’s Middle Country Public Library, 

uses an asset-based approach to address the needs of families and caregivers with 

very young children. Research-based, Family Place focuses on the whole child and 

the role of parents as first teachers. As centers for early childhood information, parent 

education, early literacy, socialization, and family support, these full-service libraries 

serve as community destinations for families and caregivers. The Family Place model 

has been replicated in over 375 libraries in 26 states and continues to expand.

The Dallas Museum of Art’s mascot, Arturo the parrot, and his giant nest, welcomes 

young children and their families to the museum and its collections, with on-site 

story times, tours, art classes, and parent and family workshops and a rich collection 

of online resources. In partnership with four school districts and the National Council 

of Jewish Women, the museum hosts parents and preschoolers participating in the 

Home Instruction of Parents and Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), a nationally recognized, research-based home visiting program targeting families speaking English as a 

second language.

/

Museums and libraries 

are natural and safe 

places for families to go to 

learn together and access 

important resources.
17

parents and children’s special relationship with reading and libraries, pew research center

Parents have a special relationship with libraries; 84 percent of parents with a child 5 years or younger say 

libraries are “very important.” Most parents (86 percent) say libraries should coordinate more closely with 

schools to offer resources for children and offer free early literacy programs to help young children prepare 

for school. 

Major reasons libraries are important to parents of children under 6 years:

 86 percent say libraries help develop a love of reading and books;

 81 percent say libraries provide access to information and resources not available at home; and 

 71 percent say libraries are a safe place for children. 

For parents earning less than $50,000 per year, libraries play an especially important role. In addition to the 

reasons above, a larger percentage of these parents cite the role of the librarian to help find information, 

free access to the Internet, quiet study spaces, broader selections of e-books, and more interactive learning 

experiences.11
18

3 Supporting development of executive function and “deeper

learning” skills through literacy and STEM-based experiences

Museums and libraries help lay the foundations for later learning and academic and career success, including basic 

literacy, reading, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They are adept “brain builders,” 

offering learning environments that address the important social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of learning that 

include persistence, self-direction, critical thinking, and problem solving. Through these skills, children learn to 

communicate effectively with others, improve reading comprehension, and apply what they know to new situations.

The New York Hall of Science has created a “Little Makers” program for children 

aged 3 to 6. The program melds STEM learning and the arts through hands-on 

investigations and problem-based activities where children share what they have 

made through storytelling, a technique that solidifies scientific concepts and 

promotes the development of literacy and communication skills. 

The Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Crestwood, Kentucky, offers nature and 

garden backpacks containing bug catchers, magnifiers, nature guides, and sketch 

books; “Books and Blankets” baskets that include children’s books and blankets 

for families to read with children in the gardens; and scavenger hunts to develop 

vocabulary and problem-solving skills.

/

Children learn to communicate effectively with 

others, improve reading 

comprehension, and apply 

what they know to new 

situations.
19

4

Libraries and museums support a growing number of school-based efforts to build a coordinated set of learning 

experiences and effective transition practices that span preschool through third grade. A P–3 continuum is increasingly recognized as an important component in assuring academic success beyond grade three.12 Museums and 

libraries are developing multi-level curricula that scaffold increasingly advancing skills and knowledge as well as 

partnerships that promote a smooth transition into kindergarten.13

Creating seamless links across early 

learning and the early grades

The Long Island Children’s Museum’s “Juntos al Kinder/Together to 

Kindergarten” helps local immigrant families with limited English proficiency 

acclimate to the culture of the American classroom and navigate the school 

registration process. This program began serving area Spanish-speaking families 

and now also works with new Haitian immigrants.

The Dayton Metro Library system is a partner in the city’s “Passport to 

Kindergarten” program, designed to help preschoolers prepare for kindergarten 

through a focus on building oral language skills and vocabulary. 

The Normal Park Museum Magnet School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, serves 

children from pre-K through eighth grade. Since 2001, the school has dramatically 

increased student proficiency in reading and language arts. Key to its success 

has been the school’s partnership with seven local museums. Each unit of study 

involves children in a nine-week inquiry in which they ask questions, pursue 

answers through direct experience, and share what they learn through the 

creation of museum-quality exhibits.

/

A P–3 continuum is 

increasingly recognized as 

an important component in 

assuring academic success 

beyond grade three.
20

The Nashville Public Library’s Limitless Libraries program works with all 

elementary school students in the city. The program builds strong multilingual, 

multi-format collections; “curated” digital collections for young children; and 

resources for school librarians and teachers through cross-format literacy 

supplemental kits that focus on common nonfiction themes that support the 

Common Core curriculum. 

At The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, the “Be an Innovator Like...Henry 

Ford or...Rosa Parks” activity book series (and related web-based Innovation 101 

resources) combines history, STEM, and literacy. Using visual thinking strategies 

(VTS), mapping, vocabulary-building, spelling, comprehension, and creative 

writing, young children are encouraged to think critically across these disciplines. 

With the successful completion of a pilot phase, the program is now expanding 

its national reach.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s “Heritage Alive” incorporates 

reading and literature-based activities as tools for building problem-solving, 

critical thinking, and broad-based communication skills. Monthly, classroom 

teachers receive a book based on the civil rights movement and its leaders, a 

corresponding syllabus that includes project-based activities, and a bibliography 

of related texts to build content knowledge and disciplinary literacy.

/

Museums and libraries offer 

exhibits, environments, 

and programs that foster 

interest-driven and 

project-based learning.

5 Positioning children for meeting expectations of the

Common Core State Standards

Museums and libraries are stewards of cultural, scientific, historical, and environmental heritage, offering rich collections of books and objects that span all disciplines and knowledge levels. They offer exhibits, environments, and 

programs that foster the interest-driven and project-based learning that is emphasized in the new K–12 Common 

Core State Standards for Literacy and Math and the Next Generation Science Standards. Museum and library 

staffs are experienced in the inquiry-based pedagogy that the standards demand and serve as “knowledge navigators” who can support teachers in meeting these new learning benchmarks. School librarians play a particularly 

significant role. They can identify valuable resources for fellow educators, co-teach lessons, and help design project-based learning experiences. 
21

6 Addressing the summer slide

Libraries and museums are important partners in efforts to help children sustain learning during the summer 

months when too many children are losing ground as a result of not having access to resources.14 Visitation at 

museums increases over the summer months, and many offer special programs for children that continue content 

and skill learning and provide motivation to read. School and public libraries help assure that children have access 

to materials they need to maintain and even advance their reading skills over the summer months. Public libraries 

have long been anchors for community-wide activities to address summer reading loss. Today’s efforts are tailored 

to school expectations, standards, and student progress, with strong evaluation components. School libraries work 

with local public libraries to promote summer reading and implement a number of school-based efforts. Library/

museum innovations include creating “pop-up” libraries in places such as farmers’ markets and shopping centers; 

offering summer museum programs that align with school curricula; and providing focused individualized tutoring in neighborhood libraries. 

The Collaborative Summer Library Program is a consortium of all 50 states, the 

District of Columbia, and the territories, working together to provide high-quality 

summer reading materials for children at the lowest cost to libraries. By selecting 

a common theme each year, participating libraries leverage resources while 

planning programs that address the needs of their local patrons.

The Southern Pines, North Carolina, Public Library is a core partner in an 

intensive program run by the school system, local Boys and Girls clubs, and a 

local neighborhood revitalization group. The school system identifies youth 

participants for the six-week, full-day program at the local Boys and Girls Club. 

Morning activities are academically focused, while the afternoon includes 

experiential activities.

The Franklin Institute partners with the Free Library of Philadelphia and 

educators in multiple informal settings to deliver “LEAP into Science,” a project 

that integrates hands-on science learning and early literacy. Workshops for 

children in grades preK–5 and caregivers include book selections and hands-on 

activities explicitly linked to content and strategies for engaging children in 

science and literacy. “LEAP into Science” is now being piloted nationally at 11 sites, 

including 27 partnering organizations nationwide.

/

School and public libraries 

help assure that children have 

access to materials they 

need to maintain and even 

advance their reading skills over 

the summer months.
22

7 Linking new digital technologies to learning

With their free public access to the Internet, libraries are important community digital hubs, with expertise in 

promoting digital, media, and information literacy. Museums and school and public libraries are rich sources 

of accessible digital media, educational apps, videos, and audio- and e-books, with staff trained to help parents 

and youth select age-appropriate, content-based, curriculum-linked materials. They help close the digital divide 

for children, families, and caregivers who lack alternate sources of access. The growth of digital resource use in 

schools, aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Literacy and Math, points to an enhanced role for 

school librarians. They can help classroom teachers integrate technology into their course design and work with 

students to hone their digital and media literacy competencies, thus building new digital citizens. 

At the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), children and their families 

visit and explore the collections at the museum through a digital application 

called Destination Modern Art. Led by a friendly alien guide, this interactive online 

tour of MoMA’s galleries and affiliate MoMA PS1 gives children the opportunity to 

learn about the collections; take a guided, detailed look at each work of art; hear 

facts and stories about the artists and their techniques; and engage in online and 

at-home activities. 

The Casa Grande Public Library, in Casa Grande, Arizona, has created a program for children and families that encourages early literacy and familiarity with 

child-appropriate digital resources. The library offers more than 1,200 e-books 

on 25 digital e-readers and schedules regular Digital Story Times for families and 

children aged 3 and older. Each adult and child receives an e-reader, and, sitting 

together, they follow along as the librarian reads the story.

/

Museums and school and 

public libraries are rich sources 

of accessible digital media, 

educational apps, videos, and 

audio- and e-books.
23

8 Improving family health and nutrition

Children’s learning is inextricably linked to their health, with research demonstrating that health disparities for 

low-income families directly impact development and school performance.15 Museums and libraries help ensure 

that all families have access to needed health information and resources. Many offer developmental screenings and 

vaccination programs that can impact such school-related issues as chronic absence; as well as advice and programs 

on nutrition, exercise, and gardening; and healthy activities for family members of all ages. 

The Association of Children’s Museums’ Good to Grow® initiative provides a 

framework for museums to provide healthy choices and activities for children and 

families. The Association’s “Going Wild in Children’s Museums” program has supported, in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, pilot sites that create 

outdoor spaces to connect children and families to natural outdoor settings. The 

sites include a Driftwood Fort on Puget Sound (Hands On Children’s Museum, 

Olympia, Washington) and stream tables and water play, berm tunnels, a monarch watch site, and a native medicinal plants garden in Topeka (Kansas Children’s 

Discovery Center).

Through the Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens initiative, more than 600 museums 

and gardens across the country are contributing to First Lady Michelle Obama’s 

Let’s Move! campaign to combat childhood obesity. The Institute of Museum and 

Library Services has joined forces with seven national museum associations in 

support of the initiative. Participating museums and gardens work to offer exhibits, programs, and visitor services that promote healthy habits, nutritious eating, 

and physical activity. In addition to its heirloom vegetable garden and related 

workshops, Old World Wisconsin—a Wisconsin historic site in Eagle—offers 

many opportunities for improving health through physical exercise. Activities 

include the “Bustle-Hustle” 5K, children’s games, Eagle Diamond vintage baseball, 

and barn dances.

/

Museums and libraries 

help ensure that all families 

have access to needed health 

information and resources.
24

Reflecting a strong state and community focus on third-grade reading, 

evidenced by the recent Ohio Third Grade Reading Guarantee legislation, the 

Columbus Metropolitan Library has created a comprehensive Young Minds 

initiative, focused on kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading, and high 

school graduation. Building on its significant early learning work, the library 

will soon launch the SPARK school readiness program with Columbus Public 

Schools and Learn4Life, linking home visiting for 4-year-olds with effective 

transitions and ongoing support in kindergarten and beyond. 

Fifteen Denver arts and cultural organizations are partnering with the 

City of Denver in the 5 By 5 Program, providing Denver’s young children and 

their families free access to at least five cultural experiences by the age of 

five. Programs are offered in 15 Denver museums, libraries, the zoo, aquarium, 

botanic gardens, performing arts events, and recreation centers.

/

Libraries and museums have 

long recognized the importance of 

establishing cross-sector partnerships to map and address gaps in 

early learning service provision 

and programs.

9 Leveraging community partnerships 

Libraries and museums have long recognized the importance of establishing cross-sector partnerships to map and 

address gaps in early learning service provision and programs. They have worked with schools and extended day 

and early learning programs, including co-locating Head Start centers in many museums and libraries. They also 

partner with family health centers and home visiting programs, as well as public housing authorities, municipal 

governments, corporations, universities, and local public broadcasting stations. 
25

10 Adding capacity to early learning networks

State library administrative agencies and, in many states, museum associations can help link libraries and museums 

with state-based policies and programs. They stand ready to participate actively as a growing number of states 

build shared, seamless, outcomes-based systems of care, services, education, and family supports for young children. Taking the lead from federal initiatives, these efforts include both policy and practice that promote comprehensive early learning systems-building for all children.

 In response to the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana 

Children’s Museum is expanding its role through the creation of the Early 

Learning Village. This project brings together a diverse group of state- and locallevel partners. The Village will co-locate the museum with centers for literacy, 

parenting, early childhood research, nature, health, and child care.

 In 2011, the head of the Colorado State Library System joined the Governor, Lt. 

Governor, and a number of other state leaders on a bus tour designed to collect 

community input on the state of early literacy in Colorado. This statewide tour 

launched the Colorado Reads: Early Literacy Initiative that continues to guide state 

policy to boost early literacy efforts throughout the state.

The Arlington, Texas, Public Library is leading a planning effort to create a 

more coordinated approach to school readiness. The library is bringing together 

leaders from the school districts, United Way, Head Start, and other organizations 

to address low readiness scores and fragmented services. Using the National 

Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) model, they are analyzing neighborhood data to fill gaps in services and programs.

/

Libraries and museums stand 

ready to participate actively as a 

growing number of states build 

shared, seamless, outcomes-based 

systems of care, services, 

education, and family supports 

for young children.
26

More to Be Done: 

Toward an Agenda for

Further Research

Although this report references a number of completed 

and ongoing research and evaluation studies about the 

scope and impact of libraries and museums on the development of young children, there is still much we do not 

know. Here are some questions for further study:

 What effect do libraries and museums exert on the 

developing child? Is the effect more pronounced for 

certain domains of development?

 How long lasting is the effect of an isolated visit to 

a library or museum? What is the effect of multiple 

visits, whether clustered or spread out over time?

 What is the relationship between what children 

experience when they visit libraries and museums 

and their access to resources in their home and early 

care environment?

 Which programs offered by libraries and museums 

to their youngest patrons work to support school 

readiness and to improve learning outcomes? In 

particular, what programs work for children who are 

at risk?

 How often do children need to visit libraries and 

museums to benefit from the programs and resources 

offered by these environments? Is there a critical 

window during the early years in which earlier or 

repeated exposure that is associated with improved 

outcomes?

 What are the effects—short- and long-term—of 

library and museum visitation at a young age on the 

development of skills that children need to succeed 

in school and beyond?

 Is there an age at which it is critical that children gain 

exposure to the kinds of programs, resources, and 

experiences that are found in libraries and museums?

Recommendations for Action

Today, leaders from every sector of our society recognize 

that early learning is critical to our civic and economic 

future. Our country must strategically use its existing resources wisely in a collective effort to close knowledge 

and opportunity gaps and give all children a strong start 

in learning.

As this report illustrates, libraries and museums are up 

to the task. They have used their roles as trusted community anchors, family learning centers, innovative 

learning specialists, cultural stewards, and digital hubs 

to support and expand early learning opportunities. In 

communities across the country, museums and libraries 

provide safe, accessible learning spaces; engage parents 

and caregivers; and create fun and enriching programming for children to be ready for school, college, and 

career.

It is time now to tap their enormous potential as key 

contributors to federal, state, and community efforts to 

improve early learning outcomes, increase school readiness, and ensure that all children are reading and succeeding at grade three and beyond.
27

Growing Young Minds

Federal policy makers can: 

 Leverage grants that support museums and libraries 

as learning partners by including them in funding 

priorities and recognizing their contributions to the 

development of and accessibility to digital resources. 

 Support a research agenda to identify evidence-based 

best practices for early learning in museums and 

libraries and to create appropriate, valid, and reliable 

assessment tools to measure impact and child outcomes in informal learning settings. 

 Invest in professional development and resources for 

museum and library staff that will enable them to 

align their early learning programs and priorities. 

State policy makers can: 

 Recognize museums and libraries in early learning policy decisions by including them in efforts to 

increase access to quality early learning opportunities and recognizing their unique potential to reach 

children being cared for at home or in family, friend, 

and neighbor care. 

 Link museum and library services more intentionally to P–12 education by supporting partnerships 

to expand learning opportunities beyond the school 

room and the school year and to help smooth the 

transition from preschool to kindergarten.

 Incorporate museums and libraries into state-supported, community-based initiatives by recognizing them as resource hubs for health, education, and 

family support information and service delivery and 

as important members of cross-agency early learning 

planning teams. 

Communities can:

 Include museums and libraries in initiatives designed 

to increase family engagement in school readiness 

and transition to kindergarten.

 Leverage community resources and services to make 

it possible for underserved, vulnerable families and 

children to access libraries and museums (e.g., transportation, reduced-fee structures). 

 Use library and museum facilities as community 

gathering places and digital learning hubs.

 Launch public information campaigns that raise 

awareness of the roles museums and libraries play in 

supporting early learning.

Everyone has a role to play.
28

Districts, schools, and early learning programs can:

 Offer joint professional development to teachers and 

museum and library staff to create a common understanding of standards, curricula, and instructional 

practices in schools and the available resources at 

museums and libraries.

 Establish partnerships with local libraries and museums to provide programs and services that support 

new expectations for building content knowledge. 

 Fully engage school librarians as important learning 

and literacy resources.

 Consider leveraging family engagement expertise 

and programs in museums and libraries to supplement school-based efforts, including involving 

families in supporting their children’s transition to 

kindergarten. 

Museums and libraries can:

 Establish strong partnerships with a wide range of 

community organizations.

 Provide parental and family support and access to 

quality programs and services, especially for vulnerable populations.

 Create links to schools that support local education 

priorities and policies, including Common Core and 

other state standards. 

 Incorporate recent research on the brain, executive 

function, and learning into exhibits and programs.

 Embed rigorous evaluation into program development and base programs on research and evidence. 

Parents, grandparents, and caregivers can:

 Visit libraries and museums with their children to 

participate in activities that support child development and learning.

 Speak up to staff about the programs and services they 

would like to see in their local library and museum.

 Find out whether their local museum or library has 

resources that can help with their child’s transition to 

kindergarten, homework, or health and nutrition needs.

Funders can:

 Endorse public-private partnerships to advance the 

role of museums and libraries in early learning. 

 Develop grant initiatives to support innovative partnerships among libraries, museums, and other community organizations.

 Support research about the impact of libraries and 

museums on the development of young children.

To create a vibrant, engaging environment for our 

next generation of learners, especially for those 

young children most at risk, we will all need to:

 Recognize the important resources that museums 

and libraries can bring to advance an early learning 

agenda at the federal, state, and community levels.

 Pledge to include museums and libraries in new 

efforts to create strong and sustainable systems of 

early learning.

 Develop strategies that intentionally link the informal resources and services of museums and libraries 

to current early learning policies and priorities.
success

spotlights

libraries and museums as key partners

in community early learning efforts
30

Children’s Museum of Manhattan: 

Place-Based Solutions to

National Issues

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) 

has developed a comprehensive model of community 

engagement that educates children and families by combining the arts, literacy, health, math, and early childhood education. Literacy is a central component in each 

program. CMOM connects government agencies and 

community-based efforts to leverage existing networks 

and align resources within individual neighborhoods to 

support low-income children and families.

CMOM’s model of community engagement is exemplified by the EatPlayGrowTM Health Initiative. Launched 

in 2009, in cooperation with the National Institutes of 

Health (NIH) and a national advisory board of pediatric and health experts, researchers, and community 

partners, EatPlayGrowTM is an 11-lesson curriculum 

adapted from NIH’s We Can obesity prevention program, and is designed specifically for children aged 6 and 

younger and their adult caregivers. Combining NIH 

science and research with CMOM’s arts and literacybased pedagogy, the curriculum is being implemented 

in both informal and formal learning environments 

where it provides: 

 Parent and child engagement programs for lowincome families (tested and evaluated at community 

centers in the South Bronx and New Orleans);

 Professional development for adults who work with 

young children from low-income families (piloted in 

Head Start with at-home care providers at CMOM); 

 EatPlayGrowTM Building Health Every Day! interactive health exhibit at CMOM and accompanying 

programming; and

 Exhibit replication plans for small museums, libraries, and community centers.

CMOM works to deepen community engagement and 

enhance the impact of the EatPlayGrowTM curriculum 

in the community by building a network of community-based organizations and city agencies to expand 

health education to high-need communities. Community partners include: Community Health Care Association of NYC, United Way of NYC, Administration 

for Children’s Services, Head Start, City University of 

New York’s Professional Development Institute, School 

of Public Health at Hunter College, Lincoln Center 

Atrium, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s 

Nurse Family Partnership and Women-Infants-Children 

Program, and the New York City Housing Authority.

The following profiles represent current work in 

museums and libraries to address our children’s early learning needs.
31

Growing Young Minds

In 2009, CMOM conducted a series of third-party pilot 

evaluations to assess the impact of the EatPlayGrowTM 

curriculum on participants’ health knowledge, attitudes, 

and behaviors. Findings emphasized the importance of 

working with children at a young age. Across informal 

and formal settings, and with demographically diverse 

low-income audiences, participants indicated changes 

to their purchasing preferences and food habits, and 

showed positive shifts in attitudinal and behavioral 

changes about food, physical activity, and sleep. 

In the coming years, CMOM will continue to replicate and disseminate the curriculum and conduct 

professional development trainings; establish a partnership with the City University of New York’s School of 

Public Health at Hunter College to evaluate the EatPlayGrowTM exhibit; and work with the New York City 

Housing Authority to bring exhibits and programming 

to public housing in East Harlem, ideally transforming the facility into a community hub and a model for 

future museum and public housing collaborations. In 

2013, the NIH will publish CMOM’s EatPlayGrowTM 

curriculum as a federally approved health curriculum 

for early childhood audiences. 
32

Idaho: Statewide Approach to

Building Early Literacy and

Reading

There is growing consensus in Idaho that school-ready 

children reading at grade level require a statewide 

system of support. Libraries and their partners are 

building a collaborative effort to educate the public and 

unite stakeholders to increase early literacy for their 

youngest citizens. 

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) launched 

a statewide effort to increase the reading readiness of 

Idaho children by building the capacity of families and 

caregivers to nurture literacy skills and support children’s development as independent readers and lifelong 

learners. Focused primarily on low-income rural families with young children, “Routes to Reading: Idaho 

Paves the Way with Access to Print” will address a critical 

need to increase access to books; provide information to 

families and caregivers on how to support early literacy 

development; and address the challenge of encouraging 

low-income families to check out books by building the 

institutional capacity to effectively serve families. 

In Idaho, 43 percent of young children enter school 

unprepared, 31 percent of fourth graders score below the 

national basic reading level, and state funding for early 

learning is among the lowest in the country. To address 

those challenges, the Routes to Reading strategy includes 

services and supports for families and caregivers and the 

development of a statewide network of communities to 

sustain and increase place-based literacy plans. Services 

to families, caregivers, and children include:

 Books to Go, providing continuous, convenient, nocost avenues to access themed book bags with extension activities available for check-out from local 

early learning programs (reading partners) including 

Head Start, child care centers, and family child care 

homes. Books to Go kits will be available statewide 

at 250 reading partner sites, ultimately reaching over 

15,000 children; 

 Virtual Story Time, a parent-friendly web-based 

resource to access e-books and activities in English 

and Spanish, video clips modeling use of fingerplays, 

rhymes, and songs, as well as other educational 

information; and

 Access to professional development and training for 

reading partners and other local providers. Through 

a partnership with the Idaho Association for the 

Education of Young Children, training participants 

can attain Idaho STARS credit—the state’s early 

childhood quality rating and improvement system. 

A third-party evaluator is working with the Books to 

Go program to conduct qualitative analysis of participant perspectives and a quasi-experimental evaluation 

measuring the impact on early literacy development.
33

Growing Young Minds

Children’s Museum of Houston: 

Building Community through

Programs and Partnerships

To meet the learning challenges of Houston families 

most in need, the Children’s Museum (CMH) takes an 

intentional approach to developing programming and 

services. The museum participates in the city’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative and designs all 

of its programs for national replication and scalability. 

Some of CMH’s major programs and partnerships 

include: 

 The Family Literacy Involvement Program (FLIP), 

developed in partnership with the Houston Public 

Library. FLIP is a citywide system to increase 

family learning by circulating 2,040 literacy kits that 

include a book and hands-on activities to build literacy skills. Developed with support from the Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas, 

the kits are research-based and now used in cities 

across the country. An evaluation of the FLIP kits on 

home reading practices and parental understanding 

of children’s skills and interests showed significant 

differences between the treatment and control families. Currently, the museum and library are partnering to use FLIP kits as part of a Pop-Up Library 

program designed to address summer learning loss. 

 Parent Stars, developed in partnership with the Houston Independent School District, provides adults 

with activities and strategies to support children’s 

math, reading, and science learning out of school. 

All activities align with state standards and specific 

elementary levels. School administrators choose 

from options to design their own programs, which 

are then directed by CMH staff. Programs include 

both family learning events and parent workshops.

 A’STEAM (Afterschool Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) trains after-school program 

facilitators to engage children in over 40 CMH 

Investigations that include a series of challenges to 

apply their knowledge and collaboratively solve realworld style problems. The museum partners with 

the YMCA of Greater Houston to implement curriculum units over the summer months.

 CMH, in partnership with the Houston Public 

Library, designed Para Los Niños workshops to help 

Spanish-speaking families engage their young children in educational activities. In Houston, the program serves 7,000 parents and children per year and 

is delivered in over 30 public libraries in the Houston 

area; it has been adopted by other libraries nationally. 

 21-Tech allows visitors to learn about exhibits through 

personal mobile technologies (PMT’s). Trained 

museum facilitators use the technology to directly 

involve children and families in learning through a 

growing number of curated apps linked to museum 

exhibits, including “Tot Spot,” an interactive play 

space for children under three.
34

Washington State: Getting to the

Table

By proactively responding to new initiatives and policy 

actions, libraries across Washington have secured their 

position as key players in statewide early learning efforts. 

In 1998, the Governor’s Commission on Early Learning 

convened to identify and address early learning challenges. Libraries sought but were unsuccessful in gaining a place on the Commission. Undeterred, a group 

of librarians obtained funds from the State Library 

to develop their own project, the Washington Early 

Learning Initiative (2000-2003), which built a strong 

foundation for early education in Washington libraries 

and established partnerships with other child-serving 

organizations. According to the program director, “We 

may not have been at the first table, the governor’s commission. But we had succeeded in bringing members of 

this group and others to our table and opening a dialogue with organizations and agencies previously unfamiliar with public library service” (Nelson, 2001).

Additional funding enabled libraries to expand their 

role as partners in early literacy and learning initiatives, 

but they still desired more permanent partnerships in 

the statewide infrastructure. In 2007, the Early Learning Public Library Partnership (ELPLP) was formed. 

Members (26 public libraries) contribute an agreedupon percentage of their annual operating budgets 

to contract with the Foundation for Early Learning, 

which, in turn, assists libraries and others to establish 

early learning partnerships and enter the mainstream of 

early learning efforts. Activities include: providing legislative testimony in support of continuing state early 

learning funding; providing input on the development 

of the Washington State Early Learning Plan; hosting 

Early Learning Community Fairs; serving as members of community early learning coalitions; and commissioning an evaluation study of the effectiveness of 

library story times.

In 2006, a task force of library directors identified the 

lack of outcome-based evaluation of library programs 

and documentation of best practices as a barrier to 

participation in state early learning and literacy initiatives. Assessment and monitoring of outcomes was 

a well-established priority for the state, and libraries 

recognized the need to find valid and reliable means 

to measure early literacy outcomes. The University of 

Washington Information School, in partnership with 

the with the ELPLP, the Foundation for Early Learning and the State Library, designed a rigorous assessment of library story times on child outcomes, which is 

currently underway. 

The team first developed tools to measure outcomes for 

children in informal settings and then collected data 

in 40 libraries randomly chosen throughout the state. 

Using the results of the year-one data, in year two the 

team developed a research-based training and delivered 

it to a selected random sample of 20 librarians. After a 

second data collection, statistical analysis will compare 

the children and librarians in the experimental group 

with those in the control group to determine whether 

these children demonstrate more growth in early literacy skills. The project will also document improvements 

in story times specifically related to early learning. In 

year three of the project, stated outcomes will be used 

to strengthen partnerships around early literacy practices and findings and tools will be disseminated to 

other libraries and states. 
35

Growing Young Minds

Richmond Public Library: From

Summer Slide to Summer Success

The Richmond Public Library has a long history of 

identifying community needs and working with community partners to provide solutions. Based on this 

expertise, the library serves as the lead agency for Richmond’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Initiative 

and as the coordinating agency for an innovative effort 

to reverse summer learning loss for young Richmond 

readers. 

The “From Summer Slide to Summer Success” project 

is developing and evaluating a summer reading intervention implemented in five classrooms within four 

non-library summer recreation sites. The project was 

conceived to engage hard-to-reach non-library users 

over the summer. Library staff believed linking a literacy curriculum with recreational summer programs 

offered an effective and replicable outreach strategy. 

The curriculum, developed in partnership with the 

Virginia Commonwealth University Literacy Institute, 

includes three components as well as an assessment. 

The components include a staff read-aloud, daily independent reading, and “buddy reading,” with opportunities for daily writing, all tied to a summer theme, for 

example, “water.” The library identifies popular book 

titles for each reading level to fit the theme. The thematic approach to the curriculum creates an easy bridge 

to the recreation programs. The library then serves as 

the hub for additional literacy-based activities, including 

participation in the library’s Summer Reading Program. 

Program evaluation uses a pre-/post-test approach. 

Prior to implementing the project, the evaluation team 

will assess individual child needs with standard evaluative tools, and the program will be adjusted accordingly to best meet the needs of participating children. 

In addition, project leaders will assess capacity of library 

staff and availability of other library resources to support recreation staff as literacy partners. By establishing a consistent baseline for participating children, the 

library will be able to determine whether children’s’ literacy skills decreased, stayed the same, or improved as a 

result of the program. 
36

Pittsburgh: A Living Learning

Community Alive with Creativity

and Opportunity

The Greater Pittsburgh Region is developing a 21st century model to provide children of all ages with opportunities for creative, collaborative, and connected learning. 

Leading this regional effort is the Kids+Creativity Network, a consortium of more than 100 organizations, 

including university-based research labs, museums, 

libraries and informal learning institutions, school districts and educational start-ups, child-serving agencies, 

and civic leaders. Supported by the region’s philanthropic community, and more recently through the The 

Sprout Fund, the network has been meeting, exchanging 

ideas, and collaborating since 2007. 

To support early childhood education, The Fred Rogers 

Center maintains the Early Learning Environment, or 

EleTM, an online hub where educators, families, and 

others who care for young children can find and share 

quality digital resources that support early learning and 

development. 

With a specific focus on early literacy, the United Way 

of Allegheny County is coordinating a new early childhood education affinity group to act as the early literacy task force supporting the Pittsburgh Campaign for 

Grade-Level Reading.

The Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) 

supports the language and literacy development of 

young children through programs such as Questyinz, 

an online club that engages young readers in interactive 

challenges that connect their book learning with their 

lived experience. During summer 2012, children read 

for more than 2.5 million minutes and completed more 

than 150,000 learning activities. 

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has developed digital technologies like the My Story Maker program, a 

game-based tool that helps children compose stories by 

placing characters and objects on a storyboard template, 

bringing it to life with their own ideas. Kids then share 

their stories through digital publication and printing. 

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh has been a leader 

in supporting learning for young children and families 

throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region. The museum 

houses two Pittsburgh Public School Head Start classrooms and an office of the University of Pittsburgh 

Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments 

(UPCLOSE), a research initiative studying informal 

learning institutions. The museum’s MAKESHOP is 

a do-it-yourself maker space integrating hands-on and 

digital media and production experiences with inquirybased learning, early literacy, and STEM. 

The Children’s Museum has also played a central role 

in the development of Pittsburgh’s Northside neighborhood. The museum’s Charm Bracelet project brought 

together over 20 cultural, recreational, and educational 

organizations to create a linked and easily navigated 

system of opportunities and experiences for families 

and children, including the Pittsburgh Mini-Maker 

Faire. The museum recently partnered with the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children 

(PAEYC) to offer members and families significantly 

reduced admission, a service also provided to those 

holding EBT public assistance cards.
37

Growing Young Minds

Miami Science Museum: Evaluating

the impact of a comprehensive

early learning science curriculum on children and teachers

The Center for Interactive Learning at the Miami Science Museum is a joint venture with the University of 

Miami. Designed to link informal science education 

and the formal education and research community, 

the Center developed the Early Childhood Hands-on 

Science (ECHOS®) model, which includes a comprehensive early learning science curriculum, a set 

of assessment tools and a professional development 

program. ECHOS’s goal is to investigate science as a 

domain for enhancing school readiness and to demonstrate that young children can learn fundamental science concepts and the process skills associated with 

higher-order thinking. The fully developed preschool 

science curriculum consists of nine units, each containing four guided week-long science lessons that are 

introduced in 20-minute segments to small groups of 

children. A teacher assistant and/or volunteer simultaneously works with the balance of the children using 

related integration cards in three domains: language/

literacy, math, and creative arts. 

The 36 ECHOS lessons follow a project-designed learning sequence providing teachers with a logical structure 

to deliver lessons that combines direct instruction with 

guided inquiry-based science experiences and exploration. The “E-I-E-I-O” learning framework offers teachers an instructional roadmap to walk children through a 

consistent series of steps: Excite...to create interest and 

generate curiosity; Introduce...to undertake the investigation; Explore...to deepen understanding through 

questioning, making prediction, recording data, and 

looking for patterns; Interact...as needed to respond 

to individual strengths and needs; and Outcomes...

to observe evidence of learning and determine need 

to re-teach key concepts. The museum’s website at 

www.miamisci.org/echos contains short videos of the 

program in action.

A quasi-experimental study conducted by the University of Miami in 30 Miami-Dade County Head Start 

classrooms examined the efficacy of the curriculum. 

Results found significant differences between teachers and children in ECHOS classrooms as opposed 

to classrooms where ECHOS was not implemented. 

Teachers in the ECHOS classrooms exhibited more 

science-related behavior and felt more comfortable 

teaching science. Children in the ECHOS classrooms 

also exhibited higher rates of science behavior and 

scored higher on science readiness tests. A subsequent 

two-year Randomized Control Trial in 90 Head Start 

classrooms is nearing completion.

Analyses at the end of the first year show preliminary 

evidence for the effectiveness of ECHOS that is consistent with the previous study. A series of repeatedmeasures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that 

ECHOS teachers significantly improved their scores in 

use of instructional strategies associated with higherorder thinking skills, specifically predicting, investigating, and evaluating, across the year, while control group 

teachers did not. 
38

BOSTON Children’s Museum: 

From Community-wide to

Statewide Impact

The Boston Children’s Museum, now celebrating its 

centenary, led museums nationwide in focusing on 

children zero to three. In 1998, the museum began a 

partnership with Action for Boston Community Development Head Start that led, in 2003, to Countdown 

to Kindergarten, a multi-institutional, private-public 

partnership that aims to enhance early learning opportunities with a focus on the transition to kindergarten. 

In 2010, the museum opened a permanent Countdown 

to Kindergarten exhibit that simulates a kindergarten 

classroom. Children and families engage in hands-on 

activities while familiarizing themselves with the kindergarten environment. Adults can ask staff “teachers” 

questions about the kindergarten registration process, 

child development milestones, and school readiness. 

Children can practice taking turns, making a friend, or 

sitting in a group circle to hear a story. The classroom 

has areas for math and science, dramatic play, reading 

and writing, and creative arts. Since opening in August 

2010, the exhibit has welcomed 1.7 million visitors. Over 

6,000 people participated in the past three Countdown 

to Kindergarten celebrations and 5,000 people from 

community groups participated in 33 Friday School 

Readiness Friday nights.

The museum’s leadership in Boston’s early learning community has led to its major role in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Race to the Top Early 

Learning Challenge Grant. The Commonwealth’s 

Department of Early Education and Care engaged the 

museum as a core partner in its family engagement and 

school readiness activities. The museum has mobilized 55 libraries and 68 museums across the state to 

bring their content, expertise, and programs to families 

and to strengthen connections with the Coordinated 

Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) specialists throughout the state to connect with the hardest 

to reach populations. (Public libraries currently house 

state-supported Early Childhood Resource Centers.) A 

state-level team led by Boston Children’s Museum staff 

is conducting a series of regional meetings designed to 

facilitate connections across CFCE grantees and local 

libraries and museums to bring these communities the 

early learning and service supports they need.

The focus areas of the statewide museum and library 

activities (which build on the Boston Children’s Museum 

expertise and professional development experience) 

have been STEM learning (with the Boston Children’s 

Museum distributing STEM kits to all the partner 

organizations), school readiness, early literacy, and participation in the “Brain Building in Progress” public 

awareness campaign spearheaded by the State Department of Early Education and Care and the United Way 

of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. Participating libraries and museums receive a “pop-up” kindergarten classroom kit in a box filled with resource sheets, 

DVDs, and graphics they can use to create a kindergarten classroom program in their institutions. In addition, the Boston Children’s Museum’s school readiness 

play, “DW Counts Down to Kindergarten,” will be presented at several sites across the state. 
39

Growing Young Minds

Baltimore City: Joining Forces for

School Readiness

In Baltimore, libraries, museums, community agencies, 

city officials, schools, preschools, and Head Start programs are focused on making sure all young children, 

from birth, have the opportunities they need to start 

school ready to learn.

Together, the Enoch Pratt Library and The Walters 

Art Museum play active roles in community-based initiatives such as the annual Countdown to Kindergarten 

Celebration and PreK at Play event that brings young 

children and their families into the community to 

explore cultural, recreational, and neighborhood sites. 

Leaders from each institution routinely convene all 

library and museum providers in the city to plan ways 

to engage families. In addition, both have worked to 

align their programs and services with the Maryland 

Department of Education’s Maryland Model for School 

Readiness. 

The Enoch-Pratt’s summer learning programs include 

a partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the School District for the “Super Summer” 

program that targets underperforming readers. The 

program combines a half day of district-run summer 

school with wrap-around services from recreation centers to provide a full day of enrichment and targeted 

intervention. Other summer programs include an 

incentive-based reading program begun in the 1930s 

with a comprehensive set of enrichment opportunities, and an outreach program, “Summer Reading in 

a Kit,” bringing books, reading logs, and incentives to 

community-based programs such as church-run day 

care programs that lack other access to literacy-based 

services and materials.

At the Walters, education programs are designed to 

“grow with families,” offering a menu of offerings scaffolded across stages of child development. Children’s 

developmental needs are supported through age-appropriate, object-based, and art-integrated learning experiences, including Waltee’s Cubs Baby Programs, ArtTots 

Toddler Programs, ArtKids Preschool Programs, and 

Start with Art Preschool Programs.

Enoch Pratt Free Library and Baltimore Department 

of Health staff members co-chair the school readiness 

committee of Baltimore City’s Campaign for GradeLevel Reading. This joint leadership grew out of a partnership between the two organizations, which targeted 

young first-time mothers to increase their abilities to 

support their children’s early literacy development. 

Trained by library staff to deliver the Every Child 

Ready to Read model, home health care workers provide guidance and information to young parents during 

home visits.
©2013

SCHOOL LIBRARIAN IMPROVED READING SCORES

=

=

Student Poverty Level 1 Overall Stang Losses 2

THIS INCREASE IN SCORES EXISTS REGARDLESS OF:

School Librarians Are Linked

to Improved Standardized

Reading Test Scores

Studies conducted over the past two decades, both in

Colorado and nationwide, show that students in schools

with endorsed librarians score better on standardized 

achievement tests in reading, compared with students 

in schools without endorsed librarians.

SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

In a Colorado study, the presence of school librarians 

positively impacted students’ standardized reading 

scores even when controlling for student poverty 

(free and reduced-cost meal status).

In a national study, even if schools had overall sta 

declines between 2004 and 2008, students’ standardized 

reading scores were better in schools that maintained 

or gained a librarian during this time period.

2004 2008

WHAT OTHER SCHOOL LIBRARY CHARACTERISTICS ARE ASSOCIATED 

WITH BETTER TEST SCORES?

School Librarians Teaching

Information Literacy Skills 

to Students 3

Staed by 

Endorsed 

Librarian 1

Collaborative 

Planning

Between 

School 

Librarians 

and 

Teachers 

3,4

Extended Library and Sta Hours 3 School Librarians Providing 

In-Service Training to Teachers 3

Larger and Newer Collections 3,4,5

More Student Visits 5 Flexible Scheduling 3 Higher Expenditures 3,4,5

+

$ $

40
41

Growing Young Minds

Arlington County, Virginia: 

School Libraries Making a

Difference

School librarians in Arlington County Public Schools 

(APS) play an integral role in school-wide efforts to 

advance children’s reading skills. Through collection 

planning and acquisition, school libraries support reading proficiency across the developmental continuum, 

reading and technology specialists working with librarians and teachers to address remedial and advanced 

reading needs. For children with special needs, library 

resources include oral reading, interactive technology, 

role play, and audio and video accommodations. Assessment data enable the librarian, teachers, and specialists 

to work together to guide instruction and offer special 

learning experiences, such as hosting visiting authors or 

implementing reading initiatives. 

Schools have a strong relationship with local public 

libraries and museums, using their resources to 

enhance and expand school-based instruction. To 

address the issue of summer learning loss, school and 

public librarians jointly plan reading incentives and 

an end-of-the-year transition from the school library 

to the public library. Virginia is not a Common Core 

Standards (CCSS) state, but APS has established crosssystem collaboration to link public school teachers, 

specialists, school librarians, and public librarians to 

provide children access to robust and relevant experiences and resources, called for in the state’s Standards of 

Learning, which build needed skills and knowledge. As 

digital hubs, school libraries provide students access to 

high-quality technology resources. Librarians use technology to model knowledge integration across content 

areas and plan differentiated instruction approaches 

based on student needs and interests.

In one Arlington school, students are being introduced 

to a problem-based learning model (PBL) for teaching 

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) at 

the elementary level. Digital capacity and collections 

place school libraries at the center of this work. Collaboration between the librarian, technology specialist, teachers, and instructional specialists has resulted 

in a cultural shift in the school and increased students’ 

abilities to document their learning through a variety of 

tools and apps. 

Infographic Notes 

See www.lrs.org/data-tools/school-libraries/impact-studies for a list of school 

library impact studies.

1. Lance, K. C., & Hofschire, L. (2012). Change in school librarian staffing 

linked with change in CSAP reading performance, 2005 to 2011. Retrieved from 

www.lrs.org/documents/closer_look/CO4_ 2012_Closer_Look_Report.pdf

2. Lance, K. C., & Hofschire, L. (2011, September 1). Something to shout about: 

New research shows that more librarians means higher reading scores. 

School Library Journal. Retrieved from www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/

printissue/currentissue/891612-427/something_to_shout_about_new.

html.csp

3. Lance, K. C. (2000). How school librarians help kids achieve standards: The 

second Colorado study. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research and Publishing.

4. Lance, K. C. (1993). The impact of school library media centers on academic 

achievement. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research and Publishing.

5. Francis, H.B., Lance, K. C., & Lietzau Z. (2010). School librarians continue 

to help students achieve standards: The third Colorado study. Retrieved 

from www.lrs.org/documents/closer_look/CO3_2010_Closer_Look_

Report.pdf

Courtesy of the Library Research Service, Colorado State Library.
42

1. Grunewald, R., & Rolnick, A. (2003, March). “Early Childhood 

Development: Economic Development in a High Public Return.” 

Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota, Fedgazette, accessed online 

April 2013 at www.minneapolisfed.org/publications_papers/pub_

display.cfm?id=3832; Heckman, J. (2008, September). “The Case 

for Investing in Disadvantaged Young Children,” in First Focus, 

Big Ideas for Children: Investing in Our Nation’s Future; Heckman, J. 

(2011, Spring). “The Economics of Inequality: The Value of Early 

Childhood Education.” American Educator 35: 31–47; Heckman, 

J. (2013, February). “Schools, Skills and Synapses” presentation 

to the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, accessed 

online April 2013 at www.heckmanequation.org/content/resource/

schools-skills-synapses; Mission: Readiness, Military Leaders 

for Kids. (2010). “Our Troubled Education System: A Threat 

to National Security. High Quality Early Education and Other 

School Reforms Cannot Wait.” www.missionreadiness.org/2011/

our-troubled-education-system-a-threat-to-national-security; 

www.heckmanequation.org; Ready Nation. (2013). “Championing 

Success: Business Organizations for Early Childhood Investments.” Washington, DC: America’s Promise Alliance. 

www.readynation.org/uploads//20130423_ReadyNationACCEFull

ReportFinal.pdf

2. Miller, C., Zickuhr, K., Rainie, L., & Purcell, K. (2013). Parents’ 

and Children’s Special Relationship with Reading and Libraries.

Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.

3. Swan, D. W., & Manjarrez, C. A. (2013). Children’s Visitation 

to Libraries and Museums. Research Brief series, no. 1 (IMLS2013-RB-01). Washington, DC: Institute of Museum and Library 

Services. 

4. Duncan, G., Ziol-Guest, K., & Kalil, A. (2010, February). 

“Early-Childhood Poverty and Adult Attainment, Behavior, 

and Health.” Child Development. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/

doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01396.x/full; Duncan, G., et al. 

(2007). “School Readiness and Later Achievement.” Developmental Psychology 43, no. 6: 1428-1446; Hernandez, D. (2011, April). 

“Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty 

Influence High School Graduation.” Baltimore, MD: Annie E. 

Casey Foundation. www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications.

aspx?pubguid={8E2B6F93-75C6-4AA6-8C6E-CE88945980A9}; 

Isaacs, J. (2012, March 19). “Starting School at a Disadvantaged: 

The School Readiness of Poor Children.” Washington, DC: The 

Brookings Institution, Center on Children and Families; Neuman, 

S. B., & Celano, D. (2012). Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance: 

Poverty, Literacy and the Development of Information Capital. New 

York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

5. Pellegrino, J., & Hilton, M. (Eds.) (2012). Education for Life and 

Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills for the 21st 

Century. Washington, DC: National Research Council.

6. Duncan, G., et al. (2007). “School Readiness and Later Achievement.” Developmental Psychology 43, no. 6: 1428–1446; Hernandez, 

D. (2011, April). “Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading 

Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation.” Baltimore, 

MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation. www.aecf.org/Knowledge

Center/Publications.aspx?pubguid={8E2B6F93-75C6-4AA6-

8C6E-CE88945980A9}; Isaacs, J. (2012, March 19). “Starting School at a Disadvantaged: The School Readiness of Poor 

Children.” Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution, Center 

on Children and Families; Neuman, S. B., & Celano, D. (2012). 

Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance: Poverty, Literacy and the 

Development of Information Capital. New York: Teachers College 

Press, Columbia University.

7. Child Trends Data Bank. (2013). Retrieved online at 

www.childtrendsdatabank.org

8. Brooks, D. (2012, July 10). “The Opportunity Gap.” The New York 

Times; Neuman, S. B., & Celano, D. (2012). Giving Our Children a 

Fighting Chance: Poverty, Literacy and the Development of Information 

Capital. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

9. Bruner, C. (2004). Beyond the Usual Suspects: Developing New Allies 

to Invest in School Readiness. Resource Brief. Des Moines, IA: State 

Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network; Bruner, 

C., Stover Wright, M., Noor Tirmizi, S., & the School Readiness, 

Culture, and Language Working Group of the Annie E. Casey 

Foundation. (2007). Village Building and School Readiness: Closing 

Opportunity Gaps in a Diverse Society. Resource Brief. Des Moines, 

IA: State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network.

10. Swan, D. W., Grimes, J., Owens, T., Vese, Jr., R. D., Miller, K., 

Arroyo, J., Craig, T., Dorinski, S., Freeman, M., Isaac, N., O’Shea, 

P., Schilling, P., & Scotto, J. (2013). Public Libraries Survey: Fiscal 

Year 2010 (IMLS-2013–PLS-01). Washington, DC: Institute of 

Museum and Library Services. www.imls.gov/assets/1/Asset

Manager/PLS2010.pdf

ENDNOTES
43

Growing Young Minds

11. Miller, C., Zickuhr, K., Rainie, L., & Purcell, K. (2013). Parents’ and Children’s Special Relationship with Reading and Libraries.

Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, pp. 3, 5–6, 8, 47.

12. Graves, B. (2006). “PK-3: What is it and how do we know it 

works?” FCD Policy Brief: Advancing PK–3, no. 4. New York: 

Foundation for Child Development; Reynolds, A., Magnusun, 

K., & Ou, S-R. (2006, January 1). PK–3 Education: Programs and 

Practices that Work in Children’s First Decade. New York: Foundation 

for Child Development; Kauerz, K. (2006). “Ladders of Learning: 

Fighting Fade-out by Advancing PK–3 Alignment.” FCD Issue 

Brief, no. 2. New York: Foundation for Child Development. 

13. Kagan, S. L., & Tarrant, K. (eds.) (2010). Transitions for Young 

Children: Creating Connections across Early Childhood Systems.

Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks; Pianta, R., Cox, M., & Snow, K. (eds.) 

(2007). School Readiness and the Transition to Kindergarten in the Era 

of Accountability. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks; Pianta, R., & KraftSayre, M. (2003). Successful Kindergarten Transition: Your Guide 

to Connecting Children, Families, and Schools. Baltimore: Paul H. 

Brooks.

14. Arlington, R., McGill-Franzen, A., Camilli, G., Williams, L., 

Graff, J., Zeig, J., Zmach, C., & Nowak, R. (2010). “Addressing 

Summer Reading Setback Among Economically Disadvantaged 

Elementary Students.” Reading Psychology 31, no. 5: 411–427; 

Alexander, K, Entwisle, D., & Olson, L. (2007). “Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap.” American Sociological 

Review, no. 72: 167–180; Celano, D., & Neuman, S. B. (2001, 

February). “The Role of Public Libraries in Children’s Literacy 

Development: An Evaluation Report” Harrisburg: Pennsylvania 

Library Association.

15. Bruner, Charles, the BUILD Initiative and the Child and Family 

Policy Center. (2009, February) Issue Brief: Connecting Child Health 

and School Readiness. Denver: The Colorado Trust. www.build

initiative.org/WhatsNew/ViewArticle/tabid/96/smid/412/

ArticleID/416/Default.aspx; Council on Community Pediatrics. 

(2013, February 25). “Community Pediatrics: Navigating the 

Intersection of Medicine, Public Health, and Social Determinants of Children’s Health” Pediatrics, retrieved online at 

www.aappublications.org
44

List of Contributors

The following people participated in a consultative session on 

December 5, 2012, to inform the development of this report.

Andrew Ackerman, Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Shirley Amore, Denver Public Libraries

Julia Bland, Louisiana Children’s Museum

Clara Bohrer, West Bloomfield Township Public 

Library

Claudine Brown, Smithsonian Institution

Judy Brown, Miami Science Museum

Miriam Calderon, formerly at U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services and the White House 

Domestic Policy Council

Jeffrey Capizzano, Policy Equity Group

Alison Circle, Columbus Metropolitan Library

Harriet Coalter, Richmond Public Library

Gerry Cobb, The BUILD Initiative

Kathleen Deerr, Family Place LibrariesTM 

Eliza Dresang, University of Washington

Lisa Guernsey, New America Foundation

Ann Joslin, Idaho Commission for Libraries

Kimberly Kiehl, Smithsonian Early Enrichment 

Center

Cheryl McCallum, Houston Children’s Museum

Dale McCreedy, Franklin Institute

Elizabeth Orsburn, Free Library of Philadelphia

Joseph Prevratil, Archstone Foundation; Long Beach 

Public Library Foundation

Debbie Reese, American Indians in Children’s 

Literature

Jeri Robinson, Boston Children’s Museum

Gloria Rubio-Cortes, National Civic League

Tonja Rucker, National League of Cities

Shannon Rudisill, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

Raymond Santiago, Miami-Dade Public Library 

System

Nina Sazer-O’Donnell, National Results and Equity 

Collaborative

Albert Wat, National Governors Association

The following additional people were interviewed for this 

report.

Francie Alexander, Scholastic, Inc.

Stephanie Bailey-White, Idaho Commission for 

Libraries

Gregg Behr, The Grable Foundation

Emily Blumenthal, Walters Art Museum

Janet Brown, Institute for Educational Leadership

Charles Bruner, The BUILD Initiative

Cen Campbell, Santa Clara County Library District

Rita Catalano, Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning 

and Children’s Media

Reba Dominski, Target

Janet Elman, Association of Children’s Museums

Kelly Fisher, Global Abilities Foundation, SRCD/

AAAS Fellow
45

Growing Young Minds

Dana Friedman, The Early Years Institute

Ellen Galinsky, Families and Work Institute

Paula Gangopadhyay, The Henry Ford

Richard Gonzales, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

Susan Hibbard, The BUILD Initiative

Steven Hicks, U.S. Department of Education

Lindy Hoyer, Omaha Children’s Museum 

Sharon Lynn Kagan, Columbia University and Yale 

University’s Child Study Center

Philip Katz, American Alliance of Museums 

Linda Landsman, The Early Years Institute, The 

Rauch Foundation

Michael Levine, Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame 

Workshop

Davida McDonald, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

Susan Neuman, University of Michigan

Michael Nobleza, Children’s Creativity Museum

Hon. Barbara O’Brien, Get Smart Schools and 

Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

Ngozi Onunaku, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

Ellen Riordan, Enoch Pratt Free Library

S. Kwesi Rollins, Institute for Educational Leadership

Tom Schultz, Council of Chief State School Ofcers

Deborah Schwartz, President, Brooklyn Historical 

Society

Ann Segal, Wellspring Advisors

Kathy Shahbodaghi, Columbus Metropolitan Library

Gail Silberglied, American Alliance of Museums 

Rob Stein, Dallas Museum of Art

Barbara Stripling, Syracuse University 

Julie Walker, American Association of School Libraries 

Heather Weiss, Harvard Family Research Project

Gerrit Westervelt, The BUILD Initiative

Ena Wood, Arlington Public Schools 

Marty Zaslow, Society for Research on Childhood 

Development

Special thanks to the Association of Library Service 

to Children for surveying their membership to support 

this report.
46

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 

libraries and 17,500 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong 

learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries 

and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn 

more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/USIMLS and Twitter @US_IMLS.

This report was made possible through our partnership with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Ralph 

Smith, Managing Director.
47

Growing Young Minds

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Cover, page 20, and page 23: Susie Fitzhugh

Table of Contents top right and page 13: Courtesy of the Omaha Children’s Museum

Table of Contents top left and page 14: Bill Gallery, courtesy of the Boston Children’s Museum

Table of Contents bottom: Patrick Bennett, courtesy of the King County Library System

Page 3: Paul Spect, courtesy of the Boston Children’s Museum

Page 4: Patrick Bennett, courtesy of the Washington’s King County Library System

Page 5: Jason Miczek

Page 7: Courtesy of the Discovery Science Center

Page 8: Chris Tumbusch, courtesy of the Pierce County Library System

Page 16: Courtesy of the Omaha Children’s Museum

Page 17: Roger Mastroianni, courtesy of the Cuyahoga County Public Library

Page 18: Bruce Silcox, courtesy of the Minnesota Children’s Museum

Page 19: Aaron Deetz, courtesy of the New York Historical Society

Page 21: Courtesy of Amazement Square

Page 22: Courtesy of the Jefferson County Public Library

Page 24: Diana Guay, courtesy of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Page 25: Tory Read

Page 31: Courtesy of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Page 32: Courtesy of the Idaho Commission for Libraries

Page 33: Courtesy of the Children’s Museum of Houston

Page 36: Renee Rosensteel, courtesy of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

Page 37: Romina Pastorelli, courtesy of the Miami Science Museum

Page 38: Robert Benson, courtesy of the Boston Children’s Museum

Page 39: Courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library

Inside back cover: Jason Burt Photography, courtesy of the Museum of Discovery

DESIGN: Shagas Design

49
1800 M STREET NW, 9TH FLOOR WASHINGTON, DC 20036 202-653-IMLS (4657) WWW.IMLS.GOV

The Campaign for 

Grade-Level

Reading