Let’s Read!

A Family Program of the Public Libraries of Waterloo Region

On Sunday, September 27th 2009, an exciting new family literacy program was launched at Word on the Street – Let’s Read.

This program began with a grant from The Cowan Foundation.  With this grant, Kitchener Public Library, Waterloo Public Library, Cambridge Libraries and Galleries, Region of Waterloo Library and Project READ Literacy Network came together to plan Let’s Read .

The goal of the program was to get the families of Waterloo Region reading – reading the same book, reading together as a family, and reading together as a community.  In addition, lots of fun theme-related activities were offered at libraries throughout the region.

The Canadian children’s classic Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, the story of a little boy who always says every twice was chosen as the first Let’s Read book.   Storytimes, contests and special events were held in public libraries across the region with the visit by Cary Fagan, author of Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas, being a highlight.  Waterloo Public Library also ran a Let’s Read bookmark contest.

Congratulations to the winners - Ella Koller, Kathryn Waterman and Shang Wu.

The first year of the program was a huge success, far exceeding our goal of having 150 families reading Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang and 250 families attending a Let’s Read event.   During the course of the program over 800 families read Jacob Two-Two and 700 attended programs!  This latter number doesn’t include the many hundreds who attended the launch at Word on the Street and the wrap-up at the Family Literacy event at Conestoga Mall.

Plans are well on the way for this year’s Let’s Read program which will be kicked off at Word on the Street  on Sunday, September 26 in Victoria Park.   

For more information check out the Let’s Read Blog  http://www.letsreadwaterlooregion.blogspot.com/