NEWS RELEASE
The Kern County Library Launches 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
on November 1, 2021
The Kern County Library (KCL) is joining public libraries across the nation in emphasizing the importance of establishing strong early literacy skills with the launch of the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, available at all KCL branches beginning Monday, November 1, 2021. This fun, easy, and FREE program promotes reading to newborns, infants, and toddlers and encourages parents and caregivers to bond with their children through reading. By participating in the program, the importance of literacy is emphasized even before children can read independently. It gives young children the confidence necessary to become strong readers in the future and is one of the first steps in ensuring both academic and lifelong success.
Participation in the program is easy!
- Sign your child up for their first Kern Library card and register for the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, either in-person at your local branch or virtually via Beanstack. Children signed up for the program receive a FREE lanyard. This is a perfect spot for your little one to store their library card! (A Kern Library card is not required to participate in the program. Children who already have a Kern Library card may participate as well.)
- Track your child's progress! Enjoy one-on-one reading with your child and track how many books you've read together with two tracking options. Track on paper with the Library's reading log or use the Beanstack Tracker app, available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- Earn rewards for reading! Every time you and your child finish reading 100 books together, color the reading log or log it online on Beanstack. Stop by your local branch to receive a button. Children can earn up to 10 buttons! We encourage them to clip their buttons to their lanyard. Also, when you use the Beanstack Tracker app, you can win digital badges, which can help children get excited about reading at home.
- Congratulations! Once you and your child have completed reading 1,000 books together, your child can pick up their certificate of completion at the Kern County Library!
Program Notes: This program is for children ages 6 and under and is targeted toward encouraging children to read 1,000 books before kindergarten. Families that participate in either format (on Beanstack or via the paper reading log) can pick prizes up in person at a local library branch. All prizes are while supplies last. Children must complete the program prior to Kindergarten to qualify for all prizes. This program does not have an end date and will be ongoing.