From Toddlers to Seniors: Learning at Every Life Stage

Posted November 6, 2015

By Rosemary Long

Libraries continue to be represented in popular media as book repositories, a place for story time, and – in the most progressive TV shows – a place where people use (get this!) real, live computers!

Popular culture hasn’t caught up with the reality of today’s public library, where the mission has transitioned from providing information to delivering outcomes-based learning. Not just information seeking, but engaging in active learning. Gale’s online education programs helps libraries impact lives by supporting education, skills development, and personal enrichment.

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Digital Solutions Promote Pre-K Literacy Development and School Readiness

Posted on November 1, 2015
By Diane M. Sweetwood

Many research studies have shown the positive effects of quality early childhood education on future academic development, educational attainment, and earnings later in life. Yet, 59% of preschool-aged children across the nation—approximately 2.5 million—are not enrolled in publicly funded preschool programs through state preschool, Head Start, and special education preschool services.
Although as many as 30% of three- and four-year olds are fortunate to attend private preschools and child care centers, hundreds of thousands of children have no access to the programs that can help them build literacy skills and prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. The U.S. Department of Education’s 2015 report, “A Matter of Equity: Preschool in America,” notes that “while both states and the federal government invest in early learning, these efforts have fallen short of what is needed to ensure that all children can access a high-quality early education that will prepare them for success.”

Read moreDigital Solutions Promote Pre-K Literacy Development and School Readiness

EDUCATION + SMILES = EFFECTIVE LEARNING

Early Literacy at the public library

Miss Humblebee’s Academy is a new early literacy product that will assist young learners in building foundational learning skills. Partnering with Miss Humblebee LLC., Gale, a part of Cengage Learning has co-developed a robust resource tailored specifically to the school and public library user, which includes the assessment tools libraries need to measure their impact on early literacy development in their communities. Studies show that participating in quality early learning can boost children’s educational attainment and earnings later in life, underscoring the importance for libraries to provide resources that serve this young audience.

Read moreEDUCATION + SMILES = EFFECTIVE LEARNING

Put Preschoolers in Your Community on a Path to Learning

Pre-K learning for public libraries

Offer highly-visual and content-rich digital learning that will appeal to young children who are at the peak of curiosity and wonderment. With accessibility on tablets and smart phones, and anytime, anywhere access, educational materials are now easier than ever to integrate into daily life.

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Taxicab Confessions: ALA Edition

By Carrie Stefanski

I learned first-hand that there are more library conversations than the ALA show floor can handle, or maybe I was just high on libraries during the long conference weekend. Either way, the need for libraries followed me on all my ride-share trips around SF. And this made me happy!

Here’s the inside scoop on how the library love spilled out of the conference and into the taxi cabs.

Stop 1: Periodical 15

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Behind the Bugs: The Story of Miss Humblebee’s Creator

By Tina Creguer

In 1954, a book publisher challenged Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) to write a book using 250 words identified as key words for young readers to learn and instructed him to “bring back a book children can’t put down.”  And indeed he did. His success in marrying learning, reinforcement, engagement, and fun in the seminal Cat in the Hat was unprecedented.  His revolutionary approach introduced children to a way of learning that brought together appealing, relatable characters with basic learning concepts.

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Putting Preschoolers on the Path to Academic Success

Online Learning for Preschoolers

Whether or not they agree on the funding and implementation of programs, nearly every parent, teacher, and general citizen agrees that preschool education promotes learning at an early age and helps prepare children to be better learners.  Studies have shown that, “these early years before children ever show up for the first day of kindergarten are crucial for their brain development, and for fostering the very kinds of cognitive and social skills — concentration, impulse control, emotional stability — that help them do well later in school and in the job market.”1

Read morePutting Preschoolers on the Path to Academic Success

Miss Humblebee’s Academy Gives Libraries an Outcomes-Based Program to Support Kindergarten-Readiness

Early Literacy at the public library

By Kristina Massari

Supporting public libraries’ life-long learning initiatives, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, is pleased to announce Miss Humblebee’s Academy, a new early literacy product that will assist the library’s youngest learners in building foundational literacy skills. Partnering with Miss Humblebee LLC., Gale has co-developed a robust product tailored specifically to the public library user, which includes the assessment tools libraries need to measure their impact on early literacy development in their communities.Studies show that participating in quality early learning can boost children’s educational attainment and earnings later in life, underscoring the importance for public libraries to provide resources that serve this young audience.

Read moreMiss Humblebee’s Academy Gives Libraries an Outcomes-Based Program to Support Kindergarten-Readiness