Six Skills by Age Six: Launching Early Literacy at the Library

This one-stop guide to nurturing six core early literacy skills at your library also offers practical tips for sharing these skills with parents, teachers, and other caregivers so they can institute them in playgroups, in school, or at home.

Though libraries have been presenting early literacy activities for decades, library staff may lack an in-depth understanding of early literacy skills and their place in preparing children for a lifetime of learning. Based on the program "6 by 6: Ready to Read," this book is chock full of practical, everyday ideas on how you can foster the six core early literacy skills children should ideally acquire by age six.

The volume begins by introducing the importance of early literacy and explaining how to start or expand an early literacy program in your library, regardless of its size. Subsequent chapters explore the six core skills and offer suggestions on how to showcase them in library programs and services. The book also includes activities that relate to each skill, suggests books that are especially useful in exploring each skill, and tells you how to create early literacy spaces. Three sets of storytime plans―one each for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers―are presented as well. Written primarily for public librarians and library staff, this guide will also be informative for parents and for educators who work with young girls and boys.

Anna Foote, MLS, works at Northeast Kansas Library System, where she provides youth services and continuing education consulting services to school, academic, and public libraries throughout a 14-county region.

Bradley Debrick, MLS, is the early literacy coordinating librarian for the Johnson County (KS) Library.