Once Upon a Reader

Edited from CRPLSA press release The official launch of Once Upon a Reader: Minnesota Libraries Bring Kids and Books Together will take place at the Minnesota State Fair Alphabet Forest on Saturday, August 23 and will be featured at the Minnesota Library Association Conference, October 8 and 9 in Mankato. Moo! written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka and winner of the 2014 Minnesota Book Award in Children’s Literature, has been selected for the 2014-2015 program. The author and illustrator plan to be involved in the activities surrounding the launch. Once Upon a Reader is a statewide one-book program, focusing on preschool aged children and highlighting the importance of reading and sharing of great literature with children. The program is sponsored by The Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators and funded through the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Library Strategies is working with a Steering Committee of librarians from across the state to coordinate the event. Members of the committee are:

• Anna Krueger, Ramsey County Library, Project Manager
• Jackie Blagsvedt, Youth Literacy & Library Program Specialist, State Library Services
• Jolene Bradley, Brainerd Public Library, Kitchigami Regional Library System, Pine River
• Kathleen James, Metropolitan Library Service Agency, St. Paul
• Barbara Misselt, Director, East Central Regional Library, Cambridge
• Gail Nordstrom, Viking Library System, Fergus Falls
• Chris Olson, Director, Metropolitan Library Service Agency, St. Paul
• Beth Ringsmuth Stolpman, Great River Regional Library, St. Cloud
• Emily Savageau, Northwest Regional Library System, Thief River Falls
• Kirsty Smith, Director, Great River Regional Library, St. Cloud
• Vicki Sorn, East Central Regional Library, Cambridge

Library Strategies staff:

• Sue Hall, Director
• Melissa Brechon, Program Coordinator
• Slade Kemmet, Marketing/Design Associate

For more information, contact Melissa Brechon: melissa@thefriends.org.