COMMUNITY & CULTURE
NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT
St. Louis County Library
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“This year we’ve expanded the program from six to seven library
branches, and have added Operation Backpack,” she said. “Each
Thursday, families take home a bag of shelf-stable groceries for the
weekend.”
There are also a number of options to enrich adults and lifelong
learners. The library’s author series welcomes 100 or so authors a year,
and is considered among the foremost across the nation.
“It has grown to become one of the top author series in the country,”
Sorth said. “More than 17,000 people attended one of our author events
in 2016. St. Louis County Library has become a must-stop for big-name
authors on book tour.”
SLCL has more than 20 branches throughout St. Louis County,
offering a wealth of reading and learning opportunities for residents.
MISSION: To provide the resources and services to enrich individual
minds, enhance lives and expand perspectives.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: The St. Louis County Library Foundation
was founded in 1999 to enhance and enrich the library’s educational and
cultural mission by securing financial support beyond public funding,
sponsoring programs and special projects, and serving as a library
ambassador. The foundation hosts its eighth annual Starcatchers’ Gala
on Saturday, Sept. 16, at library headquarters. This year’s speaker is
Roy Blount Jr., author and panelist on NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell
Me.” For ticket information or to donate, call (314) 994-3300 or visit
foundation.slcl.org. For information about St. Louis County Library
and its programs, visit slcl.org.
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here’s a reason why reading is the first of the three “Rs” of
learning. It establishes a blueprint for growth and success,
from infancy to childhood to adulthood.
There is evidence that reading fosters young readers
by helping them to develop vital language skills, improve
hand-eye coordination and concentration, enhance social skills and
broaden the imagination, among other benefits.
The St. Louis County Library believes in the advantages of early
literacy for every child born in St. Louis County. The Born to Read
program nurtures this idea and encourages parents to read to their
newborns from day one.
With the help of area hospitals and clinics, Born to Read provides
new parents with a tote bag that includes a library card, a book, a
Cardinals baby beanie, toy and toothbrush, as well as early literacy
information and an invitation to celebrate their child’s first birthday at
the library, where they receive another free book.
The 1,000 Books program is the next step, encouraging families and
caregivers to read 1,000 books with their young child before they enter
kindergarten, explained library director Kristen Sorth.
“Studies have shown that families who start reading aloud to their
children at birth help strengthen language skills and build vocabulary
- two important tools when children begin learning to read in
kindergarten,” she said.
Another substantial offering is the Summer Free Lunch Program.
Through Aug. 11, the library is partnering with Operation Food Search
to provide nutritious lunches during the week to children 18 and
younger who qualify for free or reduced lunches at their schools.
“We’ve all heard of the summer slide, when kids experience learning
loss over the summer. But there’s also a summer nutritional slide,”
Sorth noted, adding that many children lose access to almost 10 meals
per week during the summer months.
Last year, more than 12,000 meals were served, according to Sorth.