Monticello Rally to Read

Monticello Rally to Read Community Connections Team: Building a Community of Lifelong Readers
The Monticello Rally to Read initiative is dedicated to fostering early literacy and building strong community connections. Our Community Connections Team focuses on enhancing existing programs and exploring new opportunities to support young readers in Monticello.

Purpose
Provide Monticello Community families with county and school resources from birth through age four. The resources will be vetted as better/best practices for raising happy and healthy children. A big focus area of the resources will be receiving and using age-appropriate children’s books to develop pre-reading skills even before children are old enough for kindergarten. In a study of nearly 100,000 U.S. school children, access to printed materials was the key variable affecting reading acquisition.

Newborn Book Bags

Currently assembled by the Friends of the Library, these book bags are given to families at the Monticello Hospital Family Birthing Center. Each bag includes a board book, a coupon for an additional book at the library, and resource handouts. Ongoing discussions include:

• Storage & Distribution: Exploring storage solutions at local schools and expanding distribution through public health programs, childcare facilities, and community organizations like Baby Café and ECFE.
• Expansion Goals: Considering outreach to at-risk families and exploring follow-up interventions for children until they reach school age.

Imagination Library

The Imagination Library program provides free monthly books to children from birth to age five. 
Imagination Library Resources:

• Program Overview
• Register Online Today!
• Printable Registration Form
• Research
• Books & Selection
• Parents & Caregivers
• Community Leaders
• Local Program Partners
• Funders & Policy Makers

Sustainability & Funding

The initiative currently benefits from grants provided by Wright Hennepin and Centerpoint Energy. Plans are underway to:

• Develop a fundraising strategy in collaboration with the Monticello School District.
• Engage volunteers from groups like the Rotary and Friends of the Library.

Get Involved

The Monticello Rally to Read holds regular large group and team meetings to plan, share updates, and build partnerships. Community members, organizations, and volunteers are encouraged to join us in supporting literacy for Monticello families.

Fill out this form to donate and/or get involved!

Monticello Rally to Read: Magic Book Bus

The Magic Book Bus team is focused on fostering meaningful connections with families and individuals who may feel underrepresented in traditional school engagement activities. Once a week this summer, our Magic Book Bus will "pop up" in a special location in our community.  We will set up games, give out books and connect with families. 

Join us at our upcoming Magic Book Bus pop-ups! (See the calendar below for upcoming dates and locations.)

Our Goal

• Make Connections: Reach out to those who may be reluctant to engage with traditional literacy activities. Build relationships by bringing books to families where they are—in familiar, comfortable community spaces. 

Our Mission

We aim to travel around the Monticello community to promote the joy of literacy. By bringing our Book Bus to them we are focused on engaging with families in casual settings. We offer simple, everyday ways to bring literacy into their lives. Our approach is flexible—focused on access to books, connections, and games. 

Our Approach

• Accessible: We prioritize creating a non-intimidating and accessible Book Bus environment.

• Pop-Up Fun & Games: Hosting spontaneous, low-pressure events in familiar community spaces to naturally engage families.

• Modeling Literacy Through Play: Demonstrating simple literacy activities through games and everyday interactions.

Initial Ideas & Outreach Strategies

• Community Engagement:

  • Our Book Bus will travel to common community locations.

  • Connecting with local community leaders to help bridge relationships and offer resource connections.

  • Highlighting the importance of maintaining a second language at home and its benefits to literacy development.
     

• Accessible Locations:

  • Parks 

  • Neighborhoods

  • Local parking lots
     

• Building Partnerships:

  • Recruiting teachers, staff and Hoglund bus drivers who are passionate about connecting with diverse groups in non-traditional ways.

First Steps

• Mapping the Community: Identifying key locations around Monticello where families gather and feel comfortable.

• Planning Book Bus Events: Stocking a traveling Book Bus with donated books and simple games for all ages & hosting storytime sessions in everyday community spaces.

Get Involved

The Magic Book Bus team welcomes volunteers who share our passion for connecting with families in new and creative ways. Whether through casual conversations, fun games, or meeting up at our Book Bus stops, your involvement can help promote the joy of literacy throughout Monticello.

Fill out this form to donate and/or get involved!

Monticello Rally to Read: Education and Awareness Team

The Education and Awareness team is dedicated to promoting literacy by supporting childcare providers, engaging families, and creating educational opportunities throughout the Monticello community. By building relationships with local daycares, childcare providers, and parents, we aim to foster a love for reading from an early age.

Our Goals

• Empower Childcare Providers: Offer resources and activities to support literacy development in local daycare and childcare settings.

• Engage Families: Create opportunities for parents and caregivers to learn simple, effective ways to encourage reading at home.

• Promote Literacy Community-Wide: Incorporate literacy themes into existing community events to broaden our reach and impact.

Our Mission

We believe that literacy starts early and extends beyond the classroom. By equipping childcare providers with engaging resources and offering educational opportunities for families, we aim to create a strong foundation for lifelong learning in the Monticello community.

Our Approach

• Resource Development: Curate sets of books paired with fun, educational activities to distribute to local daycares and childcare centers.

• Events for Childcare Providers: Host appreciation and educational events that support providers in fostering literacy among the children in their care.

• Community Collaboration: Partner with schools, city organizations, and local resources to integrate literacy-focused activities into existing events, making them accessible to more families.

Initial Ideas & Outreach Strategies

• Book and Activity Sets: Develop literacy kits that include age-appropriate books and simple projects or activities to encourage interactive learning in daycare environments.

• Childcare Provider Events: Plan events that both celebrate and educate childcare providers, offering them tools and strategies to incorporate literacy into daily routines.

• Piggybacking on Community Events: Work with schools and city planners to incorporate literacy elements into larger community events, inviting daycares, childcare families, and local resources to participate.

• Parent Education: Identify ways to expand outreach to parents, offering them tips and resources to support reading at home.

Get Involved

The Education and Awareness team welcomes volunteers who are passionate about early childhood literacy and community engagement. Whether by helping assemble literacy kits, planning events, or connecting with local childcare providers, your involvement will make a meaningful impact on young readers in Monticello.

Join us in our mission to promote literacy through education, awareness, and community collaboration - Fill out this form to donate and/or get involved!

Monticello Rally to Read: Every Kid, Every Day Team
The Every Kid, Every Day Team is dedicated to expanding access to books and fostering a love for reading throughout the Monticello community. By enhancing Little Libraries and building strong volunteer networks, we aim to ensure that every child has opportunities to engage with reading, every day.

Purpose
Develop structures that ensure every student meets age-appropriate reading readiness benchmarks and receives the academic and social/emotional support needed to thrive.

Little Free Libraries: Expanding Access to Books

We are focused on growing and maintaining Little Free Libraries across Monticello to make books easily accessible to families. Key initiatives include:

• New Installations & Maintenance: Partnering with local groups and volunteers to install and restock Little Free Libraries with fresh books.
• Community Partnerships: Collaborating with the City of Monticello to place Little Free Libraries in parks, ball fields, dog parks, and other public spaces.
• Book Collection: Collecting gently used books from garage sales and community donations to keep the libraries stocked.
• Compliance & Guidelines: Reviewing rules and guidelines for Little Free Libraries to ensure proper placement and management.

Building Volunteerism Across the Community

The Every Kid, Every Day Team is creating opportunities for volunteers to support literacy initiatives across Monticello. Volunteer opportunities include:

• In Schools & Classrooms:
  • Storytime Volunteers to read in classrooms.
  • Recess Readers and Lunch Buddy Readers to encourage reading during breaks.
  • Summer Reading Programs and language exposure activities.
• Expanding literacy in places and spaces where families gather
• Senior Center & Community Spaces: Encouraging senior volunteers to help with Little Libraries and reading programs.
• Community Events: Engaging in local events like the MontiArts GLOW Festival, where we've hosted a booth, distributed glow-in-the-dark stickers, and shared reading tip sheets, along with winter storytime activities for families.

Marketing & Outreach

To engage more community members, we’re rolling out creative marketing and outreach strategies:

• Flyers & QR Codes: Distributing flyers with QR codes at popular community spots to encourage volunteer sign-ups.
• Budgeting for Materials: Allocating funds for promotional materials like stickers and flyers to spread awareness.
• Surveys & Feedback: Sending surveys to schools to identify volunteer needs and areas where literacy support is most needed.
• Communication: Sharing resources and strategies.

Get Involved

Whether you’d like to help maintain a Little Library, volunteer in classrooms, or participate in community events, the Every Kid, Every Day Team offers many ways to get involved in supporting literacy in Monticello. Together, we can ensure that reading becomes a daily habit and joy for every child in our community.

Fill out this form to donate and/or get involved!

• Inclusive Community Outreach: Design and implement strategies to engage and reach every community within our district, ensuring cultural representation and inclusivity in all efforts.
• Spanish-Speaking Community Engagement: Develop a targeted plan to effectively connect with Spanish-speaking families and create accessible resources that support their needs.
• Early Childhood Family Connections: Build relationships with families of children aged 0-4 by incorporating diverse early childhood education options, ensuring a strong foundation for all students.

Fill out this form to donate and/or get involved!

Help us build a vibrant and resource-rich library for our students at Monticello High School! Your support enables us to purchase updated titles, enhance our media resources, host author visits, and create engaging reading programs.

Stay connected

Follow our Facebook page for updates on donation milestones, upcoming events, and new library programs:
Facebook: Monticello High School Library

Thank you for supporting our mission to empower students through reading, learning, and community engagement!