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Reimagining Library-School Partnerships to Promote Family Engagement
Abstract
Innovation often means finding new ways to make better use of resources that already exist in our communities. A new initiative to connect schools and libraries was just the right catalyst to enhance family engagement.
... Interagency collaboration is fundamental to the implementation of BB as a vehicle for creating an ongoing connection between families, schools, and libraries, sustaining literacy messages, increasing access to resources/activities, and enhancing professional growth through shared knowledge (Barratt-Pugh et al., 2021;Caspe & Lopez, 2018;Hindman & Morrison, 2011;Padak et al., 2002;Timmons & Pelletier, 2015). Ideally, kindergarten teachers and librarians work together throughout the year, beginning with a jointlyhosted school event to introduce BB, followed by a rolling program of library activities with reciprocal kindergartenlibrary visits. ...
... Collaboration also provides opportunities for parent involvement in program evaluation and development, building on families' cultural capital through the creation of shared learning spaces in schools and libraries. This adds to research indicating the value of library-school partnerships (Caspe & Lopez, 2018) and the efficacy of recruiting parents through community-based programs (Meuwissen et al., 2017) and established, readily accessible contexts such as schools (Cortes et al., 2021;York et al., 2019). ...
Texting-based programs are increasingly used to support parents as their child’s first teacher and create links between home and school. However, there is scant evidence about the influence of program implementation on parent uptake and attrition—a key component of such programs. This article describes the design and delivery of Kindytxt, a literacy-based text-messaging program for parents with a child at Kindergarten in Western Australia, and examines the influence of recruitment method, area socioeconomic status, and teacher participation on parent uptake and attrition. Results indicate that embedding Kindytxt into a well-established family literacy program provided the infrastructure and mechanism for extensive program reach, and the recruitment method, specifically the involvement of the kindergarten teacher, significantly influenced parent registration. However, attrition rates were not significantly affected by the area socioeconomic status of participating schools, recruitment method, nor teacher participation in Kindytxt. The results suggest that teacher involvement may be the crucial factor in enabling parents to access texting programs, regardless of the socioeconomic status of the school community. The design elements may be used to inform future program development, and the research results highlight the importance of documenting and including the method of delivery as variables in the evaluation of program implementation.
... Some preschools and libraries have realized this and built multi-faceted partnerships to strengthen family engagement and increase the literacy and learning opportunities for the children. One example of these deeper partnerships can be found in the one between the New York Public Library and teachers from the PreK for All initiative, which has resulted in enhanced conversations between parents and children, increased family engagement; increased learning for parents, caregivers and families; and created stronger connections between the libraries, schools, and families (Caspe and Lopez 2018). Another example is a partnership between Arapahoe Libraries in Colorado and several area preschools. ...
... While a few of these deeper library-preschool partnerships exist (Caspe and Lopez 2018;Mills et al. 2019), their more limited existence is likely due to: (1) a lack of awareness of what libraries can offer and their shared early learning and family engagement expertise; (2) the often siloed nature of both organizations; (3) a lack of time and space to build relationships between the preschool and library staff; and (4) limited opportunities for discussion on how they could collaborate to benefit each other, the children, and the families. However, knowing the benefits that these partnerships can bring to students and their education, when one of The Centers Ohio's early learning centers moved into a branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, the goal was to build a strong partnership between the two organizations to support each other and the preschool children and families. ...
Preschools and public libraries are natural partners in that they share similarities in their support for early learning and family engagement for the young children and families in their communities. Because of this, public libraries often partner with preschools to offer rotating book collections and storytimes to increase book access and literacy skills for the young children who attend the preschool. However, libraries and preschools could be expanding their partnerships beyond these two services to have a greater impact for the preschool children and families, but both organizations typically struggle to find the time and space to work on deepening the partnership. This study worked to cultivate and deepen a library-preschool partnership by offering two workshops for the library and preschool staffs to provide them with time to build a community and develop ideas for working together to support the preschool children and families. Ultimately, these workshops were successful in deepening the library-preschool partnership and helping to enhance the preschool’s early learning environment and increase whole family engagement for the preschool families.
... Researchers use design-based research (DRB) methods (Barab and Squire 2004;Sandoval and Bell 2004), partnering with libraries to create a program based on principles in the connected learning (CL) framework (Ito et al. 2013). In the program, families and public library staff collaborate to create a series of podcasts on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics of local concern using best practices for equitable engagement in learning (Bang and Vossoughi 2016;Bell et al. 2012;Caspe and Lopez 2018;Coppens et al. 2014;Hoffman et al. 2016;Ishimaru et al. 2016;Ito et al. 2013;Roque and Stamatis 2019). Local radio stations broadcast these programs while the libraries provide activities to engage the broader community. ...
The Raise Up Radio Libraries research project applies sociocultural learning theories in the public library environment. In conjunction with university-based investigators, rural-serving library staff engage community families in a program to codesign a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) podcast series that will be broadcast over local radio. The first two libraries to participate represent two distinct models of service for rural communities in the United States. In Texas, the pilot library is an independent organization, operated by a part-time director and dependent on volunteers. In Alabama, the pilot library is part of a three-branch system, which includes service to a large city as well as a rural area. Staff at both libraries actively engage with community members and develop services and programs that meet local needs. Yet the ways in which staff achieve these outcomes vary greatly and often reflect the previous experiences and education of its staff members. The various stakeholders allowed for different learning communities to organically form. This paper explores the impact of the learning community formed by researchers and library staff (Learning Community 1) on the learning community made up of library staff and families (Learning Community 2), a crucial element of the library program project.
... The partnerships help to create connections not only among library staff and young children and educators, but also the families of the children, who can continue to implement learning within the home environment (Campana et al., 2020). Caspe and Lopez (2018) write that proactive partnerships are most effective when they are managed well, to ensure cohesive learning opportunities among the libraries, ECE centres, and the home; the emphasis is on libraries ensuring that such partnerships are managed effectively. ...
... In addition, researchers can identify opportunities in geography (Green, 2015) by interviewing preschool providers and examining how they utilize community resources to support young children and provide them with high quality opportunities to learn. For example, an innovative collaboration between early childhood educators and local New York City libraries improved family engagement and strengthened connections between families, schools, and libraries (Caspe & Lopez, 2018). Another preschool-library partnership was designed to jumpstart early childhood literacy, building off the theory that timing and quality of early experiences shape brain architecture (Romero & Armstrong, 2017). ...
... In addition, researchers can identify opportunities in geography (Green, 2015) by interviewing preschool providers and examining how they utilize community resources to support young children and provide them with high quality opportunities to learn. For example, an innovative collaboration between early childhood educators and local New York City libraries improved family engagement and strengthened connections between families, schools, and libraries (Caspe & Lopez, 2018). Another preschool-library partnership was designed to jumpstart early childhood literacy, building off the theory that timing and quality of early experiences shape brain architecture (Romero & Armstrong, 2017). ...
Preschool children are suspended and expelled at a rate greater than school-aged youth, and exclusionary discipline practices are further inequitable across racial and ethnic groups. Denied the documented benefits of early childhood education, Black students are disproportionately excluded from US educational institutions beginning in early childhood, effectively preserving and reproducing racial inequities. Black students, especially boys, are the most likely to lose access to schooling due to exclusionary discipline. The disparities are dehumanizing and detrimental to students’ opportunities to learn, as early educational experiences greatly influence development and future outcomes. Although there is a plethora of evidence concerning the significant role of space, place, and relationships in early childhood education, less is understood about how these act independently and interact to create racial and ethnic disparities in discipline within pre- schools. In this conceptual paper, we argue that decolonizing early childhood education requires a novel approach in how we think about racial inequalities in discipline that centers the conversation on context and incorporates the interrelated frame- works of geography of opportunity, ecological systems theory, and the youth control complex. Children’s interactions with adults in school are situated in a particular space and place and within a complex nexus between the school, home, and neighborhood contexts. It is imperative to decolonize geographically stratified classroom management, manifested through exclusionary school discipline of young children, for the possibility of more equitable educational opportunity.
... It is essential that families have access to and feel welcome accessing school and community resources in order to promote family engagement in literacy practices. For example, Caspe and Lopez (2018) discussed the impact of a partnership between schools and libraries, initiated by the New York Public Library on family engagement. The two collaborations between schools and libraries took place in predominantly Spanish-speaking immigrant communities in Upper Manhattan and were designed for teachers to connect with children and their families at home, in the library, and at school. ...
This article aims to share a collaboration between TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Literacy professionals to provide a family literacy night for multi-language learners after school at the elementary level. First, a review of research that highlights the important factors to the collaboration is outlined. This is followed by a description of the university–school partnership that was designed to be an opportunity for TESOL and Literacy teacher candidates to collaborate with one another, practicing English as a New Language teachers, and children and families of multi-language learners. The article concludes with an overview of challenges encountered in the collaborative process.
The home literacy environment (HLE) plays an important role in children’s early literacy learning. Texting programs are an increasing feature of family literacy interventions that support parent engagement in their children’s learning. Unlike face-to-face interventions, texting programs can offer sustained parental support at low cost and large scale. Messages can be translated into other languages, saved and shared, thus potentially widening the influence on children’s HLEs. Most early literacy texting programs target families from disadvantaged communities, yet research suggests all families may benefit from guidance on supporting their children’s early literacy. This study examined the receptiveness of a universal early literacy texting program, Kindytxt, by parents of kindergarten children from low, medium and high socioeconomic communities. Kindytxt was developed as a component of a universal book gifting program that uses a library-school model of program delivery and has statewide reach. Parents received 90 texts over 30 weeks and were invited to provide feedback via SMS at several intervals. Non-parametric tests were used to compare parent responses based on community-level socioeconomic status. Similarly high levels of parental support were evident across all socioeconomic strata. We argue that a universal approach can avoid the stigma and potentially lower uptake of programs that target disadvantaged families. Moreover, the Kindytxt cooperative delivery model allows targeted strategies to be incorporated within the universal program. Teachers and librarians can proactively bolster recruitment to the texting program and support parents to differentiate the literacy activities to suit their child’s cultural context and level of literacy development.
Research indicates that partnerships between libraries and schools have potential to enhance early literacy. However, few studies have investigated the nature and outcomes of such collaborations. This paper reports on the findings from a qualitative study of a partnership between librarians and kindergarten teachers to implement a family literacy programme, developed by the State Library of Western Australia. The programme aims to facilitate connections between libraries, families and schools, to support early literacy. Using an interpretive paradigm, interviews were undertaken with 38 participants including State, branch, local and school librarians, kindergarten teachers and school principals in seven schools, to explore the effectiveness of the partnership model. The partnerships were highly valued, and participants reported confidence in the success of the co-operative model of programme delivery. However, there was little evidence of deep engagement across service sectors or sharing of expertise and resources. Four key factors that influenced the development and sustainability of partnerships are identified and discussed. Implications of the research are identified, which include the development of a library–school partnership framework and a literacy-text messaging programme. We conclude by suggesting that the partnership model could be replicated across other countries, maximising opportunities for cost efficiency while supporting better outcomes for families and children.
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