Raising Readers Partners with the Maine Family Literacy Initiative and Public Libraries to Support the Literacy of Maine Families

Reading is one of the best ways parents can help their children develop a love of books and reading and prepare them to learn to read. However, access to books and the parent’s own literacy level can be barriers to making that happen. A new partnership between Raising Readers, the Maine Family Literacy Initiative, and select public libraries is designed to help overcome those barriers.

Combining the Raising Readers books with access to family literacy services offered by Maine Family Literacy Initiative (MEFLI) grantees is the concept behind the new partnership. MEFLI programs across the state work with families to address the learning and literacy needs of both adults and children. Integrating the books that families receive from Raising Readers into family literacy services deepens their impact and helps families get the most out of them.

Cara Sawyer of Cherryfield Public Library with young reader.

Eight public libraries will provide access to the books by family literacy programs and others. The Maine State Library facilitated a process to identify one library in each of eight counties to house the Raising Readers book collections and collaborate with MEFLI on family literacy services.

Raising Reader MEFLI Libraries with former First Lady,
Mrs. Barbara Bush and Maine First Lady, Karen Baldacci

The participating libraries are: Belfast Free Library, Camden Public Library, Cherryfield Public Library, Paris Public Library, Skowhegan Public Library, Strong Public Library, Waldoboro Public Library and the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft .

A complementary collaboration with the state’s Resource Development Centers provides access to Raising Readers books in the remaining eight counties.