The REAL Program presents The Legacy of Teaching Early Childhood Institute

The Legacy of Teaching Early Childhood Institute, presented by The REAL Program,  is Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the Riverside School, Danvers. This year's theme is Harold and the Purple Crayon meets STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Eight workshops are offered with a major focus on STEAM and a little fun with our imaginary leadership of Harold. Harold has been on his journey for 60 years this year and the Legacy celebrates 25 years with keynote speaker Todd Bol, founder of the Little Free Library Movement. What better way to help early childhood educators enrich the lives of children with literacy and STEAM!

Little Free Library Builder and Founder, Todd Bol.
Todd Bol, founder of the Little Free Library Movement which he started by building a little tribute to his mother in 2009. With over 20,000 Little Free Libraries around the world, this literacy and community-building phenomenon continues to intrigue people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Little Free Libraries themselves are handcrafted structures that contain constantly changing collections of books donated and shared by people of all ages and backgrounds. Most Little Free Libraries are placed in front yards, parks, gardens and easily accessible locations. The Libraries are built to withstand weather of all kinds and hold 20-100 books. Some Libraries are located in coffee shops, in or near restaurants and community centers.

Originally designed to look like a one-room school or a “house of books,” the Libraries rapidly took on a wide variety of sizes, shapes, themes and other attributes. There is no standard size and shape. Although many businesses and apartments may have had “take a book, leave a book” shelves for years, the idea of a network of unique structure with stewards, signage and social support started in 2010.

The two people most responsible for Little Free Libraries are Todd Bol and Rick Brooks. Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin built what would eventually be called the first “Little Free Library” as a memorial tribute to his mother in 2009. Rick Brooks of Madison, Wisconsin and he put together the ideas and strategies that led to other Little Free Libraries being installed in Minneapolis, Madison and other communities. But many of the people most responsible for the success of this movement are the “early adopters” of the idea who purchased Libraries made by Bol and others for their front yards. They became the stewards of the tangible and intangible parts of the Little Free Library mission: to promote a sense of community, reading for children, literacy for adults and libraries around the world. Stewards often build the Libraries that serve their communities. They fill them with books, protect and promote them, and come up with new ways to share the goodwill generated by these neighborhood book exchanges.