The Vermont Early Literacy Initiative was developed in 2010 by the Vermont Center for the Book and the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB). This statewide early literacy initiative has allowed close to 100 Vermont public libraries to bring early literacy experiences to babies and toddlers, parents and child-care providers.
In January 2020, public and school librarians from 20 Vermont towns will be introduced to Social Studies and Me!, a Social Studies/Civics program for preschoolers. Librarians will receive picture books and materials (thanks to the Vermont Department of Libraries) and training with Meredith Wade and Wendy Martin. The project was made possible by a grant from the A.D. Henderson Foundation.
VELI-STEM
In 2015 the Vermont Department of Libraries received a National Leadership Grant for Libraries from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to inaugurate the VELI-STEM project in partnership with VCB and the Montshire Museum of Science. Over the past three years we worked with 25 Vermont public libraries to provide STEM programming and resources to children ages 3-7, their parents, child-care providers and key community stakeholders.
Here is the final VELI-STEM evaluation report of the project, compiled by Dr. Kelly Myles.
The VELI-STEM grant provided in-depth professional development for three years. Results of the training were used to create a replicable model for libraries across the country, allowing them to deliver effective and sustainable STEM programming and resources through a STEM Clearinghouse of Resources developed throughout the project.
In the Beginning
In the first year, 2010-2011, thirty Vermont public libraries participated, and in the second year we added twenty-three more. The training, based on research on how babies and toddlers learn, improves story times and helps the librarians introduce concepts of early literacy to parents and caregivers.
In the second phase of programming librarians received training, books and hands-on materials through Ready for School, VELI’s preschool math and literacy program.
In addition to information about how preschoolers learn about literacy and math, the librarians learned the basics of the Common Core State Standards so that they could focus on the skills that preschoolers will need once they get to kindergarten. Pat Fitzsimmons, the Common Core Coordinator for the Vermont Department of Education, delivered the keynote speech. She has taught at the preschool and kindergarten levels as well as working for the VT Agency of Education, so she was the perfect person to pull it all together.
Armed with this new knowledge and training, these librarians conducted story hours, parent programs and training for child-care providers on early language and math literacy for preschoolers. To facilitate the programming, they received sets of books, hands-on math materials (such as linking cubes and magnetic numbers); sets of books and materials for parents for each of three programs, and sets of books and materials for child-care providers for their training.
VELI librarians have also been trained in the importance of healthy social-emotional development in young children (we call it the More Than Feelings program). Librarians received training resources, books and hands-on learning materials for in-library programming (story hours, family programs, trainings for child-care providers). Funding for the training, books and materials were provided in part by the A.D. Henderson Foundation and the VTLIB.
In 2015-2017, all VELI libraries were invited to participate in FFN programming, targeting Family, Friends and Neighbors who care for children ages 0-7. Funding for books, hands-on materials and other resources was provided in part by the Vermont Birth to Five Project.
In 2017, thanks to funding provided by VTLIB and the A.D. Henderson Foundation, 50 libraries learned about visual literacy and received a set of picture books and an art kit at a training.
Funding for VELI has been provided by the Winnie Belle Learned Fund of the Vermont Public Library Foundation through the generosity of Dr. Burnett Rawson, the Henderson Foundation, the Turrell Fund, Vermont Center for the Book and the State of Vermont.