Library Launches Family Reading Kits

Calgary Public Library is thrilled to announce the launch of Family Reading Kits, a new initiative aimed at helping families connect with one another and support lifelong learning, just in time for Family Literacy Day on January 27.

Library members can pick up one of five different kits, each featuring a different children’s book on loan and an activity booklet, which is theirs to keep.

The kits cover a range of reading levels and the booklets include discussion questions, activities inspired by the book, digital resources, and more staff-recommended titles to encourage family reading.

The kits are available as of January 27 at six locations: Central, Crowfoot, Fish Creek, Nose Hill, Seton, and Shawnessy libraries. Family Reading Kits can also be downloaded and printed at home or at any Library location. Families are encouraged to try more than one kit.

Sarah Meilleur, CEO for Calgary Public Library, emphasizes the kits’ ability to give families the tools to create the space needed to connect. “Reading as a family is a key way to support literacy at any age. These kits will help families foster a lifelong love of learning in their kids and also create space for important conversations about our world.”

The Family Reading Kits feature a diverse selection of titles, including three grade-school books, one teen selection, and one picture book. This year’s titles are:

• New Kid by Jerry Craft
• Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Forest World by Margarita Engle
• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty 

Selected based on their popularity and for the diverse viewpoints they provide, these titles appeal to all ages and provide opportunities for the whole family to connect. “Research shows that reading together benefits every member of the family, but as children learn to read independently, there are less opportunities to read with their caregivers and siblings, even though they may want to,” says Kate Schutz, Service Design Lead, Calgary Public Library. “Family Reading Kits provide every member of the family with an opportunity to foster meaningful connections over a mutual love of reading.”

“The questions and activities in the kit invite families to dive deeper into the book, making connections to themselves and the world around them, through fun, hands-on experiences designed for all ages and interests,” says Schutz.

Learn more about the Family Reading Kits.