The Public Library Association (PLA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) released the results of a national study on the impact of a new Early Literacy program offered through public libraries in select cities throughout the county. The study shows that parents and caregivers of children under 5 years who took part in research-based public library early literacy programs significantly increased their literacy behaviors. The implications of this study suggest that increasing literacy behaviors has the potential to increase library usage for life.

The behaviors introduced through the program led to significant gains in children's reading readiness, as parents and caregivers embraced new strategies that helped the children they care for enjoy reading. Participants in the study now flock to libraries to check out books for themselves, as well as age-appropriate materials for very young children.

Parents of 0-23 month olds made the largest percentage gains in sharing books increasing weekly sharing of books with children by 16 percent and daily sharing by almost 25 percent. More than 30,000 children were reached during the program that included fourteen libraries in the 2002-03 evaluation study. To review detailed data, please visit http://www.pla.org PLA and ALSC are divisions of the American Library Association (ALA).