Lots of luck, lots of learning: Montclair Library’s Little Read No. 13 a huge success (Letter to the editor)
For some, the number 13 is unlucky, but for the Little Read’s 13th year we had great success!
The Little Read is an annual read-a-thon at the Montclair Public Library designed to foster a love of reading and of the library among preschoolers, kindergarteners and first graders in Montclair. This literacy initiative features volunteer guest readers who are educators, community leaders, neighbors and friends, and raises funds for children’s programming at the Montclair Public Library.
After a pared-down event last year, we were able to share the joy of books with nearly 500 students during our three-day read-a-thon in early October. We were thrilled to once again share with the young people of Montclair the importance of reading and the benefits of having access to their public library, even though most of our visits were virtual!
We want to thank the many community members who climbed into the Big Read Chair to read to the children and share their enthusiasm and love of reading. These included members of the Township Council (David Cummings, Bob Russo and Peter Yacobellis), members of the Board of Education (Latifah Jannah, Eric Scherzer and Allison Silverstein) and members of the Library Board of Trustees (Ted Graham and JoAnn McCullough). We also want to thank Mike Clarke of Storyvoice for his partnership for Bedtime Stories, as well as our special guest readers, actor Harry Patrick Christian and author Shane DeWolff.
The Little Read wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Montclair Public School staff who helped coordinate schedules and technical logistics so we could virtually visit more than 25 classes. Thanks to Jill McLaughlin, Roxanne Riddock-Smith, Marcos Vargas and Nicholas Veni for their invaluable assistance.
We especially want to thank our lead sponsors, Scholastic and Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center, for their financial support and for providing special guest readers. Other sponsors include Montclair State University and Rosemary Iversen. Their generosity will help fund children’s programs throughout the year, including our Summer Reading program. The Montclair Public Library Foundation played a key role in securing sponsorship.
The enthusiasm and participation from so many in the Montclair community is greatly appreciated. We look forward to hosting another successful Little Read in 2022.
Peter Coyl
Montclair Township Library Director
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