It can be difficult for the library to provide outreach programming to children who are in family emergency shelters and not enrolled in any child care programs. By working with partnering agencies, the library was able to provide library materials and early learning supplies to children who may not otherwise be able to use library services.

This project was critically important to building stronger ties to our school partners, providing services to an underserved community and reaching a demographic which cannot typically make it to a physical library. The library decided, after joint discussions with partners, that the best way to promote literacy and library awareness to this population was through backpacks for the children to keep, which include books, puppets, learning toys and other engagement tools.

The anticipated impact of this project is to allow children who are experiencing homelessness to continue to use library services and make progress with their literacy skills, even when other major influences in their life are unstable.