Let's make it easy and risk-free for in-home daycare providers to receive great library services. TELL kits of ten books each-- hand-selected for early literacy skill-building and storytime success--rotate among providers, no check-out required. Inside each cover are early literacy tips on making the most of the book at hand. No-contact drop-off and pick-up keep it simple. Project made possible by the Friends and the Foundation of Northfield Public Library.

1. Introducing
Made possible by dedicated volunteers and the

2. Origins
Northfield Public Library offers storytime workshops for
professional continuing education credit to in-home daycare
providers and monthly storytime visits to six in-home daycares
(funded by SMIF grant)
2017
2018
Demand for in-home storytimes continues—but they’re
beyond the capacity of Library staff to sustain. How can
we find a sustainable way to serve providers’ needs?
2019
Barriers to library services for in-home daycare
providers are identified through informal chats.

3. What barriers do in-home daycare providers
face in accessing library services?
Getting to library
Worry that kids will lose or
destroy books ($)
Time
Keeping track of due dates

4. But what if we tried
this…?
No-contact home delivery
Library absorbs cost
of lost or destroyed books
Text communication
re: “date to put out kits for
exchanging”
Books belong to dedicated collection—
no barcodes, no need to check out

5. Origins (continued)
Youth Services Librarian Emily Lloyd conceives a way around
barriers: a “Traveling Early Literacy Library (TELL).”
Then COVID hits.
2020-
early
2021
Fall
2021
Library applies for a $3000 grant from community
organization to fund TELL and begin service. When the
grant doesn’t come through, Lloyd presents TELL project
to The Friends, who unanimously decide to fund TELL.
Early
2022
First round of providers is identified and signed up. Six
TELL kits are created.

6. Anatomy of a TELL Kit
• 10 picture books geared to children
ages 2 to 5
• Balance of books to foster different
early literacy skills
• Each kit includes at least one
nonfiction book, one alphabet book,
and one book that fosters social-
emotional learning
• 1-3 early literacy tips for each book

7. LITERACY SKILL: RHYME/SING
Example: Big Cat, Small Cat by Ami Rubinger
TELL Tip: Big Cat, Small Cat
❖ Rhymes help children hear the smaller sounds
that make up words, which in turn helps them
sound out words when they begin to read.
Pause to let children predict and complete the
rhymes in this simple opposites book.

8. LITERACY SKILLS: PRINT AWARENESS/LETTER
SOUNDS/VOCABULARY/BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
Example: Astronauts Zoom! By Deborah Lee Rose
TELL Tips: ASTRONAUTS ZOOM!
❖ BUILD PRINT AWARENESS: Trace each large alphabet
letter as it appears, to visually reinforce how one
would write it.
❖ Nonfiction builds background knowledge about the
way things work. To encourage thought and talk, ask
questions as you read: “Why do the astronauts
appear to be floating?” (explain gravity if none of the
kids does) “Why do you think astronauts zip
themselves to the ship when they go to sleep?”

9. Impact (2022)
By the end of 2022, 5 in-home
daycare providers have shared
60 TELL books with the 57
children in their care.

10. Impact (2022)
“We love the variety
and change of books!!”
100% of participants choose to continue service in 2023.
100% would recommend TELL to a provider friend.
“The variety has been incredible.
Out of sixty books, we had only
read one before.”
“We are LOVING
this so much!!!”

11. What’s next?
• Building an English-Spanish
(bilingual books and tips) kit to
launch in 2024
• New cohort of providers starting
TELL service in September 2023
Questions?

12. Thank you!
Youth Services Librarian Emily Lloyd
emily.lloyd@northfieldmn.gov
The Friends and Foundation
of the Northfield Public Library
https://www.northfieldpubliclibraryfriends.org