November 24, 2021

It may seem obvious that libraries—public and academic alike—support literacy. They have books, magazines and other materials people can read, and provide programming like family story times, so that’s all there is to it, right?Yes and no: Yes, the simple act of reading helps keep the brain sharp and literate; and no, there’s more to it than that, at least as far as the Marathon County Public Library is concerned.November marks National Family Literacy Month, which began in 1994 through the efforts of the non-profit National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) and “offers an opportunity for practitioners to emphasize the important role that families play in the education of their children...

Children Early Literacy LENA On-Site Services Online Resources Reading Recommendations Story Times

July 3, 2018

Wisconsin’s first ever LENA Start sessions are complete! A wide range of Marathon County families participated in LENA Start, a program designed to measure how much verbal interaction a child hears in the first three years of his or her life. A total of 18 families graduated from the program this past May, making the first sessions of the program a success!  In order to graduate, parents had to attend nine parenting sessions where they learned how to talk with their child (as opposed to talking at them). The classes taught parents how to use more adult words, conversational turns, and less TV and electronic noise. In addition to attending classes, families also had to turn in eight audio recordings...

Children LENA Early Literacy Newsletter

March 14, 2018

There is a lot going on at your library! The Friends of the Library have moved into their new digs in the old bookmobile garage, and their first book sale was a huge success. The Friends made the transition very smoothly, and we look forward to their being able to enjoy the new room for years to come as they raise money to help the library provide its programs.  On another note, the LENA Project will be gearing up in February and March of this year. The library will be hosting and facilitating this important community collaboration designed to help parents of children aged birth to three years old with the critical brain development that centers around language. There are multiple community...

Director's Report Friends Of The Library LENA Children Book Sale Community Facility Improvement Uniform Addressing

January 19, 2018

The first three years of a child's life are vital to brain development. Children from birth onward learn through talking, singing, reading, and playing. During these interactions, children learn how the world works, acquire vocabulary, stimulate different parts of their brain, as well as many other benefits. While this may seem easy enough, some caregivers may simply not be talking enough or using a variety of words to build a child’s brain! This is where LENA Start can benefit many children in our community. LENA stands for Learning ENvironment Analysis. The LENA System measures the early language environment of children ages birth to 32 months. Using a “talk pedometer” that children wear in a...

Children Community Early Literacy Health Resources LENA