Together we can help improve literacy throughout
the North Okanagan-Shuswap Area.
Our Family Literacy programs are designed for the entire family and focus on unplugging from technology and spending stress-free quality time together. At any of these programs caregivers learn tips and techniques for supporting their children with reading, writing, numeracy, and critical thinking. We give support and resources to families to aid in their efforts to increase their literacy skills and confidence as a family.
Partners: Salmon Arm GM, Interior Health, Eagle Valley Community Support Society, Shuswap Family Resource and Referral Society, School District No. 83 North Okanagan-Shuswap, Parents & Tots groups, StrongStart programs, many local organizations and businesses for Unplug & Play week (changes annually)
Funding for Family Literacy programs is provided by the Province of British Columbia Community Gaming Grants, The City of Salmon Arm, The Shuswap Community Foundation, and Decoda Literacy Solutions.
We are thrilled to announce that we are partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to put books into the hands and hearts of children in the North Okanagan-Shuswap area! Registered children receive a hand-selected, age-appropriate, high-quality book every month from ages 0-5 for FREE!
To register your child, go to the link below, fill in your info, and their first free book will arrive in the mail in 6-9 weeks! https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/?#selectedCountry=CA
For more information about the Imagination Library, visit: https://imaginationlibrary.com/ If you have any questions, or your postal code is not listed for this area yet, please don’t hesitate to email our Children’s Programs Coordinator, Terra Stephenson, at childprograms@shuswapliteracy.ca. We are very excited to have this wonderful program available in our area!
**Please note: children will receive their final book in the month of their 5th birthday, so if you are not able to register your child, it may be because they would not receive their first book before “graduating” from the program.
A baby board book is given to all North Okanagan-Shuswap families with newborns through the public health unit. Families also receive community information about available literacy programs for parents and children.
“The seeds of literacy are planted from a child’s first book, and with nourishment, the love of reading begins.”
~ Brenda Le Clair, CEO, Decoda Literacy Solutions
Over twenty-five “Spread the Word” book and magazine exchange bins are located in communities around the North Okanagan-Shuswap. Community members are encouraged to read the materials on-site or take a book or magazine home with them, and then return the reading material to any bin location.
Starting in September 2016, LASS is transitioning the “Spread the Word” book bins to Little Free Libraries to broaden our reach and make books available in more locations, including outdoor public spaces. LASS’ goal is to have 15 Little Free Libraries in the Salmon Arm area that will be maintained by our staff and volunteers.
On International Literacy Day 2016 (September 8), LASS unveiled our first Little Free Library on Alexander St. in front of the LASS office (above the Salmar Classic Theatre)
We are looking for monetary donations and sponsors for these Little Free Library structures to be placed around the North Okanagan-Shuswap region. The sponsorship is a cost recovery only, as the structures, installation, and signage is quite costly. Full sponsorship ($700) includes the structure, registration, installation, and a sponsorship plaque. DIY sponsorship ($250) involves a little free library structure built/supplied by the donor (and approved by LASS Board of Directors), but we would cover installation, registration, and a sponsorship plaque.
We are trying to establish partnerships with skilled trades people who might volunteer to build our structures locally. As we do not currently have a local source for the libraries, with full sponsorship we will purchase a kit from littlefreelibrary.org and assemble ourselves. We are interested in working with groups and sponsors to get more of these structures up around the North Okanagan-Shuswap, so please contact us if you are interested in donating to this project or creating your own Little Free Library.
Thanks to a grant through the Shuswap Community Foundation, we are able to work with up to 5 Salmon Arm, Sicamous, and Sorrento area non-profits to build their own Little Free Library. LASS will support the building and installation of these libraries at their locations, along with a package of books. The non-profit will be responsible for ongoing maintenance of their library; although, we will provide books if requested.
Eligible organizations will have a mission/mandate to support children and families in the area and will not have literacy as part of their mandate. The application will be available on this page soon.
Please contact Thomas by email or phone if you are interested in this program.
We’ll update you on the latest literacy news, events, professional development
opportunities and ways to make a difference.
We’ll update you on the latest literacy news, events, professional development
opportunities and ways to make a difference.
