Contact: Angela Thullen

PLA Marketing Specialist

312-280-5023

Aimee Strittmatter

ALSC Deputy Director

312-280-2164

For Immediate Release

October 10, 2006

Every Child Ready to Read® materials
now available at ALA Online Store

CHICAGO - Materials for the popular Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® program are available now at the ALA Online Store, www.alastore.ala.org.

Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® is a joint project of the Public Library Association (PLA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).  Based on research from the PLA/ALSC Early Literacy Initiative, the Every Child Ready to Read® program consists of three programs targeting parents and caregivers of children ages: 0-2 years-old (Early talkers), 2-3 years-old (Talkers), and 4-5 years-old (Pre-readers).

Materials are available in the form of a kit, which contains everything necessary to present all three programs.  Individual items also are available, including brochures and posters that highlight the importance of helping children learn pre-reading skills beginning at birth.  Spanish language materials also are available.

To order Every Child Ready to Read® materials, visit www.alastore.ala.org.  For more information on Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®, contact the PLA office at 800-545-2433. ext. 5PLA, ALSC office at ext. 2164, or visit www.ala.org/everychild.  PLA and ALSC are divisions of the American Library Association.