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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Duluth Public LIbrary
520 West Superior Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802
www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact DPL’s Public Relations Department at
218-730-4236
DATE: 7/20/2021
SUBJECT: Newborn Parents to Receive Literacy Bags from the Duluth Public Library
BY: Amy Broadmoore

Newborn Parents to Receive Literacy Bags from the Duluth Public Library

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Louis County home visiting nurses will soon begin distributing literacy bags from the Duluth Public Library to newborn parents.

Each literacy bag will contain board books, a booklet of songs and rhymes, tips from the library about reading to babies and toddlers, and information about getting babies library cards. In addition, library staff will train St. Louis County home nurses to share tips for reading to babies with new parents when they visit them in their homes.

Library staff will train St. Louis County home nurses on July 22nd. Home nurses will begin distributing the literacy bags thereafter.

These literacy bags are part of the library’s Every Child Ready Duluth initiative. Through Every Child Ready Duluth, the library is focused on helping ensure that every child in Duluth is ready for kindergarten.

“We want children to have access to books as soon as they’re born,” explained librarian Carmella Hatch, “so they have as many opportunities as possible to build early literacy skills and develop a love of reading.”

Hatch continued, “We also want to support parents by integrating tips for reading, singing, playing, talking and writing with babies into the information parents receive from home visiting nurses. We want parents to know that the library is here to support them with books, toys, and more… all for free!”

The first 200 literacy bags have been paid for by the Rotary Club of Duluth, Essentia Health and Duluth Library Foundation. Every Child Ready Duluth is hoping to find funding to expand the program in the future.


About the Duluth Public Library:

Founded in 1902, the Duluth Public Library serves Duluth and the greater Arrowhead
region. The Duluth Public Library provides free access to reading materials, early
literacy instruction, information, technology, and creative and cultural materials and
services.

For more information about Duluth Public Library, see duluthlibrary.org.

For more information about Every Child Ready Duluth, see everychildreadyduluth.org/.

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