Ensuring community-wide literacy for children of all ages, from birth through teen, is the driving force behind many Louisville Free Public Library programs. School success is only possible when students have proficient reading skills and make the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”

The Children’s Literacy Fund is a Library Foundation initiative to support key programs offered by LFPL in need of financial support. Programs made possible by the Children’s Literacy Fund served nearly 75,000 children last year.

• Summer Reading Program — available to children ages birth to 12th grade, served more than 50,000 children this year. Special events and incentives during the 10-week program combat the “summer slide” and encourage parental engagement.
• 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge — ensuring children are ready for their first day of school not just in reading, but by providing opportunities for socio-emotional development.
• Prime Time Family Reading Time — 6-week program led by a professional storyteller and children’s literature scholar offers families a chance to read and discuss culturally-diverse books. This program is partially funded by the Kentucky Humanities Council.
• Media Camp — a week-long camp experience exposes teens to the different aspect of movie-making by providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to create their own movies.   

Sponsors of the Children’s Literacy Fund make these programs possible and directly impact children in our community by providing opportunities for success. 

These programs represent funding priorities for LFPL and The Library Foundation, not an inclusive list of children’s programming offered by LFPL.