Books 2 U
Purpose: Books 2 U is a partnership between The Library Foundation, Multnomah County Library, and schools within the county designed to increase reading motivation in students from schools where a high percentage of students are not meeting the state reading benchmarks. Books 2 U staff and volunteers introduce students to books through book-talking (visiting a classroom with books that would interest children at their age and reading levels, talking about the books, and reading them to the class) and through providing copies of books being promoted. The current evaluation will examine changes in students reading attitudes and behaviors as a result of the Books 2 U program. A teacher survey will assess the classroom teachers’ impressions of the program’s impact on students.
Project Design: A Web-based survey is used to assess reading attitudes and behaviors of students before Books 2 U comes to the classroom, and again at the end of the school year. Outcomes will look at changes in youth attitudes and behaviors as a result of participating in the Books 2 U program including time spent reading, attitude toward reading, and library usage. A Web-based teacher survey conducted at the end of the school year is used to assess changes in reading attitudes and behaviors of students from the teachers’ perspective
Funding Source: The Library Foundation
Start Date: July 2008
