 |
Front row, from left: Barbara Lewis, library technical assistant at the USA Biomedical Library; Dr. Cindy Sheets, USA pediatrician; and Shakina Jones, pediatric clinical care assistant. Back row, from left: Andrea Wright, assistant librarian at the USA Biomedical Library; Robert Britton, assistant librarian at the USA Biomedical Library; Fletch Bowling, computer programmer analyst at the USA Biomedical Library; and Karen Bradshaw, library technical assistant at the USA Biomedical Library.
|
The University of South Alabama Biomedical Library recently delivered more than 2,400 books collected during National Library Week to the USA Children's Medical Center as part of the Reach Out and Read program.Reach Out and Read is a national non-profit organization that encourages early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading.
“The goal of the program is to encourage childhood literacy in children throughout our community," USA pediatrician Dr. Cindy Sheets said.
The Children's Medical Center, which is the pediatric teaching clinic for the University, became a member of the Reach Out and Read initiative seven years ago. The clinic received an initial grant plus yearly sustainability funds to buy discounted books from Scholastic and give to children at their check-ups from 2 months to 5 years of age.
"New or gently used donated books from this book drive allowed us to hand out books at well-visits to ages outside of the official guidelines of our grant," Dr. Sheets said. "We are truly grateful for the generosity."
