[yscon] Literacy partnerships with correctional facilities

[Monks, Merri]

Hi everyone,

I've just learned about a program in Iowa called The Storybook Project that
is coordinated by the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa (
https://www.vnsia.org/mothers-children-families/storybookproject/default.aspx).
This program enables incarcerated parents, via the assistance of a VNSIA
staff member or volunteer and a digital recording device, to read a book to
their child.  The recording is burned onto a CD and sent, with the book, to
the child.  Psrents can do this once a month.  When the incarcerated parent
is released, he or she is given a backpack of books, matching the ages of
their children, to foster opportunities to continue reading in the family.
Here is an article, published in the Des Moines Register recently, about
The Storybook Project:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/2017/05/11/storybook-incarcerated-mothers-iowa-reading/315476001/

There have been two correctional institutions involved -- one housing men,
one women -- with a third one recently added (also for men).

While I asked a colleague a couple of years ago in the Department of
Education whether there was anything along these lines in Iowa, I was told
at that time that he didn't know of anything.  (I had read about a similar
program in Minnesota).  However, this program has been ongoing for 20
years, without any apparent collaboration with the State Library and/or the
public libraries in the state.

I'm attempting to change that.  The conference planning committee of the
Iowa Library Association is looking for a way to include a session with the
coordinators of this program at our fall conference (the program is
filled--and if not this year, then next year), and I'm hoping also to
produce a webinar for our public libraries, informing them of The Storybook
Project and suggesting ways they may participate.  I'm still sorting
through the details of how this can best work, and am sending this email to
inquire whether any of you have worked on projects collaborating efforts
like this on a statewide basis?

Thanks,

Merri

*Merri Monks* Youth Services Consultant
*State Library of Iowa* | Des Moines Office
515.281.7572 | Merri.Monks at iowa.gov
1112 E. Grand Avenue | Des Moines, IA 50319
www.StateLibraryofIowa.org <http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/>
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