Plan Your 2009 Día Celebration
Many, many thanks to all of you who worked so hard to create exciting Día literacy events this April. I felt so honored to participate in Día events in Seattle, Portland, and Riverside, California. It’s very moving to see all kinds of families, many who may not have frequented libraries, smiling and enjoying food, music, entertainment and BOOKS!
- Attend a Celebrating Día Training Event sponsored by your local libraries, State Library, State Library Association, etc. If local or state-wide training isn't yet available in your area, help start it. November is a great month for sharing, so consider having your training to share bookjoy annually in early November and model it after Summer Reading Programs to meet librarians' needs. If possible, secure funding for library mini-grants or at least for mini-grants competitions.
- Utilize the many planning materials available on the web.
- Since Día is a perfect kick-off to Summer Reading, connect the two by including a Summer Reading specialist at your training
- Create your Día team to include parents, teachers, volunteers, etc. Though April 30th is the traditional Día celebration date, celebrations are now held throughout the month of April and in early May. Let your Día Committee decide.
- Form partnerships with reading and literacy organizations, county offices of education, PTAs, community colleges and universities, city/county divisions such as parks and recreation, local organizations, etc. Funders can include local merchants, financial institutions, and the media.
- With plenty of lead time, invite officials/community partners to your event: members of Congress and the Chamber of Commerce, governor, mayor, city council, school and library board members, superintendents, principals, local business sponsors, etc.
- Remembering Día's main goal of linking all children to books, languages and cultures, decorate each library for Día throughout the month of April. Children, families and volunteers can help with the decorations. Día is relevant at all libraries that serve children and families.
- Create a colorful and substantive Día book display for the month. Reminder: one of Día's goals is to foster diverse collection development.
- Since promoting literacy is the heart of a successful Día celebration, partner with area schools. Your presenters (authors, storytellers, illustrators, etc.) can visit schools or speak at large student Día venues for focused literacy time with students and teachers in days prior to your Día celebration.
- At such student events, explain Día and the importance of family reading, describe the Día celebration and its family focus, and distribute family reading pledges to be turned in at the Día event for a free book (ideally).
- Consider including parent literacy and volunteer training.
- With the help of parents and volunteers (including teens) who understand your target audience, plan creative Día publicity in the appropriate languages.
- Post your Día events at www.ala.org/dia.
- The Branch Manager and Children's Librarian(s) and/or Principal are important hosts at Día events who welcome the guests since a Día goal is to meet new patrons and connect with regular patrons. Include a Summer Reading Coordinator to explain when, how and why to sign up. (All speakers to multi-generational, bilingual audiences can be brief since it's difficult to meet the needs of all.)
- Many Día events include music, performers, storytellers (often bilingual), crafts/games, goodie bags, and food. Be sure to connect at least some of the crafts/games to books: book making, making book marks, book bingo or lotería. Consider inviting students to do choral reading, reader's theater, read their own writing, etc.
- Assess your success and share your good Día ideas locally, regionally, and nationally.
Through Día partnerships, including partnerships with funders and the media, we gain needed help and strengthen our community.
Join us in spreading bookjoy!
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