To the editor,
So many places to go, so many. But how do you go to all these places without even moving? It is possible with a book, and where is a better place to go to get a book than the library? The Howard Whittemore library has offered many great programs in the past such as book clubs, read alouds and crafts. But now they are offering a program that combines all of them and much, much more.
This program is called Empowering Children through Library Literacy or E.C.L.L. The program gives children an insight on how the library actually works. They will learn about the library’s budget and how they spend it on books and other things such as CDs, movies and magazines. This will help their literacy skills and they will learn academic skills that will make their grades go sky high. The skills that they learn in E.C.L.L will make them their teacher’s favorite. Also, the children who use E.C.L.L. get special library privileges such as deciding what books, movies and CDs the library should get (within budget) and then be the first one to check it out.
Just think about it. You read a book at your friend’s house and loved it so much that it became your favorite. You looked all over for the book and never found it but now in E.C.L.L you can request to the library to buy the book and then be the first one to check it out.
Do you have a favorite movie that you can’t watch after the DVD got chewed up by your dog? Now you can ask the library for it, and “bang,” you are the first one watching it on a Saturday night.
Even though E.C.L.L is for third grade and up the members are still expected to provide vertical support to younger patrons. Being in E.C.L.L is kind of like being a girl or boy scout for the library. Boy scouts have special access to popcorn. Girl scouts have special access to cookies. But library scouts have special access to the library’s technology so they can bring their education on to the computer screen. The members of E.C.L.L are able to plan new programs for other patrons to enjoy and encourage literacy skills. The scouts meet every second Saturday of the month. The first meeting is on Jan. 10, 2015. Come quick before Jan. 9, 2015. Are you in? I am.
Nicholas Quijano
Naugatuck
The writer is a 10-year-old member of Whittemore Library Scouts program.
