Faced with dismal reading scores and school readiness in Charleston County (SC) K-8 students, Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) created new Storytime standards prioritizing early literacy, raising awareness on school readiness, and leveraging staff expertise to address community needs. Through intentional Storytime practices and collaboration with Charleston County School District, CCPL is challenging post-COVID bridges and barriers to school readiness. Participants will learn what CCPL does and how to adapt our framework for your community.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize the importance of intentionally sharing early literacy information with parents/caregivers.
Gauge the changing landscape of storytime needs in a post-COVID world.
Identify methods for partnering with your school district to help children on their journey to school readiness.
Learn how to establish and implement Storytime standards at your own library.
Presenters:
Cassie Welch (she/her) is the Children’s System Coordinator at Charleston County Public Library (SC). She has a B.A. in Elementary Education (K-6), an Early Childhood Certification (PK-3), and a Master’s in Library and Information Science. She has over a decade of experience in education and libraries working with young children and the adults who care for them. She believes in the necessity of diverse children's literature and the importance of helping parents, caregivers, and educators develop a child's early literacy and early years skills.
Kristin Hare is a Children’s Services Manager at Charleston County Public Library where she has become a leader in EDI work, serving on CCPL’s Strategic Vision Planning Committee, EDI Committee, and Children’s Annual Booklist Committee, as well as serving as the Chair of the South Carolina Library Association’s Rainbow Round Table. She holds a B.A. in English and a Master’s in Library and Information Science.