Book gifting programs such as Imagination Library aim to foster a love of reading and increase children's exposure to books and academic success. This study is a conceptual replication of previous studies focused on the Imagination Library program. To examine home literacy practices and caregiver perceptions of the Imagination Library, 149…

Back when the author was the school librarian at Little Elementary School in Arlington, Texas, she started writing and publishing books for children. She had completed her master's and PhD in Library Science from Texas Woman's University while working full time, and when she finally finished, she had such well-honed time management skills that she…

Throughout the history of education, it has been noted that teachers are influential people in lives of children (Applegate & Applegate, 2004; Daisey, 2010; Gambrell, 1996; Ruddell, 1995). Children spend one-third (or more) of the day with teachers; and as they enter into adolescence, children come in contact with more and more teachers during…

As a middle school librarian in Austin, Texas, the author has been running weekly book clubs for years, which covered many genres that appeal to a wide cross section of kids. When approached by a group of Latino boys from low-income families, the author was inspired to run a Bluford High book club for reluctant readers. The author shares how she…

In this article, the author describes the Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA), a program designed and implemented in Texas to encourage children to read more, explore a variety of current books, develop powers of discrimination, and identify their favorite books (www.txla.org/groups/tba/about.html). TBA began in 1979 through the effort of Dr. Janelle…

To help the community encourage reading, a Texas elementary school's community involvement committee established a children's lending library in a nearby rent-subsidized apartment complex. Several thousand books were donated over a two-week period, hours have been extended, and teachers and staff generously donate time and expertise to manage the…

Explores the status of 183 elementary classroom libraries in Texas. Provides suggestions on how teachers can design excellent classroom libraries. Asserts that classroom libraries can promote voluntary reading. (PRA)

To assess the informational and recreational reading needs of the inmates in Texas prison units, surveys were conducted at one male and one female correctional facility. Prison populations were identified by age, race, and educational level. Subjects for the preference study were asked questions regarding: (1) reading background; (2) book…

The objectives of this "reading club" manual are to encourage reading; to provide a handbook for library staff and volunteers to use as a whole or in parts to complete their reading programs; and to aid librarians in helping participants in the reading club experience a feeling of accomplishment by providing ideas that are fun for…

This manual of activities and reproducible drawings and worksheets is designed to encourage reading and to accompany a reading club program. Each chapter is centered around an Olympic sport. As each chapter begins, a bulletin board idea and nametag pattern are provided. This is followed by several storytime ideas for toddlers and preschoolers,…

Designed as a guide for the children's portion of a library's year-long Texas Sesquicentennial program, this manual includes program ideas and materials for younger children, parents, and volunteers. The divisions of the 1986 Texas Reading Club are listed, and a sample registration form, junior librarian's list of duties, and volunteer…

This report examines arts participation in the ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States using data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. These data indicate that, in general, these metropolitan regions tend to be more alike than different with respect to arts participation patterns. Analysis reveals that while…

This report examines arts engagement in ten key states in the U.S. by analyzing data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA). It is organized into ten state profiles that summarize key demographic characteristics, the arts landscape, and public participation in the arts. Because the regions profiled here are not a random…