<div dir="ltr">Hi everyone,<div><br></div><div>I've just learned about a program in Iowa called The Storybook Project that is coordinated by the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa (<a href="https://www.vnsia.org/mothers-children-families/storybookproject/default.aspx">https://www.vnsia.org/mothers-children-families/storybookproject/default.aspx</a>). 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:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/2017/05/11/storybook-incarcerated-mothers-iowa-reading/315476001/">http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/2017/05/11/storybook-incarcerated-mothers-iowa-reading/315476001/</a></div><div><br></div><div>There have been two correctional institutions involved -- one housing men, one women -- with a third one recently added (also for men).</div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>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?</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div><div><br></div><div>Merri</div><div><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div><span style="font-family:"copperplate gothic light",sans-serif"><font size="4" color="#0b5394"><b>Merri Monks</b></font></span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"copperplate gothic bold",sans-serif;color:rgb(5,92,144)"> </span><span style="color:rgb(89,89,89)"><font face="Copperplate Gothic Light, sans-serif">Youth Services Consultant</font></span><br></div><div><span style="font-size:12.8px;color:rgb(89,89,89);font-family:"copperplate gothic light",sans-serif"><b>State Library of Iowa</b></span><span style="font-size:12.8px;font-family:"copperplate gothic light",sans-serif;color:rgb(89,89,89)"> |</span><span style="font-size:12.8px;font-family:"copperplate gothic bold",sans-serif;color:rgb(89,89,89)"> </span><span style="font-size:12.8px;color:rgb(89,89,89)"><font face="Copperplate Gothic Light, sans-serif">Des Moines Office<br></font></span><span style="font-size:12.8px;color:rgb(89,89,89)">515.281.7572 | </span><a href="mailto:Merri.Monks@iowa.gov" target="_blank">Merri.Monks@iowa.gov</a><br style="font-size:12.8px"><span style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#595959">1112 E. Grand Avenue | Des Moines, IA 50319<br></font></span><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px;font-family:"copperplate gothic light",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">www.StateLibraryofIowa.org</a></span><br clear="all" style="font-size:12.8px"></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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