The Children's Reading Bench

Photos: Ting-Li Wang 

The Library’s new “Learn to Read” bench is an innovative tool that helps families bridge the gap between school reading levels (e.g., 1-3Y and Green level 2) and library books. The Mount Vernon School District has supplied the library with a full set of each of the district’s book levels, and the Mount Vernon Library Foundation has purchased the bench that holds bins of leveled books beneath cushioned seats. A jointly funded project between city schools and the Library Foundation. 

Parents and children can easily locate books at particular levels in bins, and then sitting together on the bench, young literacy learners read aloud to their moms and dads. Caregivers can also learn what skills each leveled reader is working on with the corresponding flashcards. Pride and shared reading! Importantly, while these books are solely for in-library use, library staff can refer to the books at the child’s level and recommend library books to check out and take home.
The bench, with its books, is a welcoming place that also serves as a conduit to expanded reading—linking school, family, and our wonderful library. 
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 The Foundation is happy to help with this project and grateful to Library donors who support us.