Library begins 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Morgan City Public Library launches its early child literacy program “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” today for families with children of any age up to 5.

The program is a nationwide challenge that encourages parents and caregivers to read aloud regularly to their children.

Registration officially begins today and will remain open. There is no deadline to enroll.

Morgan City library never had the funding to implement the program, said Morgan City Library Supervisor Geraldine Besse. A private donor made this program possible for the library.

“It doesn’t cost a lot,” Besse said. “It’s just to get it going. The kids are rewarded with a small book when they make each milestone of 100 books read. So that’s the money that we would have to put out.”

The program is well established in the St. Mary Parish library branch system. It’s been in operation for over a year.

Bayou Vista and Berwick branches have the most children registered in its programs, said St. Mary Parish Library Director Julie Champagne. But the program is available at all seven branches.

“Some of the libraries have taken off better than others,” Champagne said. “I don’t know why. Bayou Vista has a huge, huge following. And Berwick’s pretty strong, too. Those two are amazing.”

Bayou Vista has approximately 41 participants. Berwick’s numbers are around 21.

Besse decided to move forward in 2017 with the book program to improve the chances of preschool literacy, which is important to the community.

“It prepares them,” Besse said. “It increases their vocabulary. It narrows the vocabulary gap when preschool children enter kindergarten.”

St. Mary Parish Schools Elementary Education Supervisor Suzanne Bergeron said implementing a program of this nature is amazing.

“Research has shown that this program has really impacted a student’s ability to be better prepared for school,” Bergeron said. “As a public school system, we highly encourage that.

“What’s really sad is so many people have gotten away from reading books to children … but it’s really important that a parent sits down with a child and have the book.”

Bergeron said it’s important to let a child turn the pages and see the words on the pages.

“Even if it’s a picture book, making up a story with pictures on the page,” Bergeron said. “That’s very creative. It just helps to build those foundational skills. So if they have those skills when they get to school, they’re ahead of the game.”

As a mother of young children many years ago, Besse stated reading with your child establishes a bonding between the parent and child, or even grandparents.

The literacy program is being promoted as a fun, exciting and free way to start children on the path to success.

“The best thing about it is, it’s a do-it-yourself for families,” Besse said. “There’s no deadline. They don’t have to read a certain number of books. … It’s self-paced.”

For more information, call the Morgan City library at 985-380-4646, or go to www.morgancitylibrary.com.