Grant funding will allow the library to create a children’s literacy center in a designated spot at the laundromat. Elizabeth Lee, Wilkes Library’s Youth Services Manager, has ordered bookshelves and small furniture and will be stocking bins with crafts, puzzles, and fun activities to put in the space. Books for children to read and literacy tips for parents will be provided. Certain books will be ordered to encourage healthy eating and resources to improve health literacy through a partnership with Wilkes Literacy. Also bilingual books and materials will be shared to encourage use among the Hispanic population.
Ms. Elizabeth says, “I am looking forward to working with the laundromat to bring this new outreach to Wilkes County, and am very excited to meet folks from the area who may never have been in the library. It's going to be fun showing off all the fun stuff we do at the library.”
The laundromat literacy bulletin board will be a designated place for local agencies to post information for parents. We are anticipating that children will enjoy using the literacy station and parents who are busy with laundry chores will appreciate the space provided for their children. We hope that parents will spend time interacting with their children at the station and more time reading with their children at home. As mentioned above, support from the Wilkes Literacy will facilitate positive health care decisions.
Once the station is installed and ready for use, the library plans to have a ‘ribbon-cutting’ and special visit from its mascot Arly the Fox! Updates will be announced at the laundromat as soon as the project is ready to begin. We can’t wait to share stories and this DIY literacy station with our community.