When my son Luke was born, I could hardly wait to expose him to the library. Some of my fondest memories from childhood involve trips to the library. In my early years, my mom would take us to story time every Monday morning.

We’d check out books in stacks over our heads. I loved the musty smell of the card catalog and the pointy tips of sharpened pencils. In that time, my mom introduced me to authors like Dr. Seuss and J.R.R. Tolkien. She wisely ignored my reading choices during my preteen years, which consisted of vapid romance novels about bleach blond twins who battled over boyfriends.

Fortunately, my taste evolved when I discovered the classics. I owe my love of reading and never-ending book consumption to her.

Before Luke could even walk, we continued this legacy of library trips. I would bundle him in his baby jogger, complete with blankets and fruit snacks, and we’d trek to our local story hour. He’d clap along to finger plays and listen while our favorite librarian, Ruth, read aloud. Now, as he — gulp — will be heading to kindergarten in the fall, his reading skills have blossomed. He memorizes the books we read word for word, making sure to set us straight if my husband or I mispronounce a character’s name or skip a sentence.

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library (FVRL) is working to ensure that all children can have the same experience as Luke, with early exposure to reading and literacy skills. There are a number of families in Clark County who can’t travel to their local library, so the FVRL partnered with the Vancouver and Evergreen school districts to provide enhanced story times in six local schools.

The program, Building Blocks to Successful Learning, offers a traveling story time for children ages birth to five. Children and parents or caregivers are invited to their local school once a week for an hour of stories, games and fun. These community story times are free to the public and all costs are absorbed by the FVRL.

Jacqueline Keith, Children Services Coordinator for FVRL, realized that for a variety of reasons including transportation and scheduling, there were a number of families who couldn’t attend story time at the library.

“We decided that if people couldn’t get to the library we would bring the library to them,” recalled Keith. The program is modeled after Read and Play, a grant-funded school-based story time that began in 2003. The goal is to promote early literacy and help educate families on the importance of reading.

National studies have shown that reading to preschoolers, which improves test scores, catches learning problems earlier, paves the way for a lifetime of reading, and leads to lower rates of juvenile delinquency.

The Building Blocks program mirrors story times held at regional libraries, with extra focus on parental involvement. Librarians encourage parents with quick and easy literacy tips. Tips like reading recipes aloud with children, taking a book along to the doctor’s office and having children help write shopping lists.

They also provide a modified checkout system so that families can take home books they read during the program. In an attempt to help ready children for kindergarten, crafts, music, and cutting projects are incorporated each week.

Parents are able to meet other parents and connect while children are engaged in these activities, something that is especially helpful for new parents. Keith has been encouraged by the number of dads who attend the story times.

“We have many fathers who come with their children, and grandparents, too. It’s wonderful for children to see fathers reading, particularly for boys,” she said.

Another benefit of the Building Blocks program is familiarizing children with their home school. Children learn the location of the library, cafeteria, and are able to walk the hallways with confidence. Keith noticed that children began taking ownership of their surroundings and their education experiences.

“The fear goes away. They meet the principal, reading specialist, and teachers from the school. They begin to see the school in a more positive light,” said Keith.

Building Blocks is the first ongoing programming between the regional library and school district in the area. Keith would like to expand in the future to include more schools and commends the school districts on their commitment to the program.

Ready to start building a reader? For more information visit www.fvrl.org or call Jacqueline Keith directly at (360) 699-8818. Building Blocks is open to the public. There’s no need to pre-register, just be sure to allow extra time to check in with the school when you arrive. [VV]

Kate Dyer-Seeley is a mom, a writer, a coffee junkie and an avid reader. Her Column, ‘Couve Connections, appears every other issue.