Long-Term Learning from Museums and Libraries

This report by Institute of Museum and Library Services issues a call to action: now is the time for policy makers and practitioners to fully use the capacity of libraries and museums in their early learning efforts. Libraries and museums reach millions of children each year. The authors state how the purpose of this report is to bring that capacity into focus so that libraries and museums can more effectively engage in early learning strategies at the community, state, and national levels. The report explains how there is a long history of identifying and funding innovative approaches that put young learners at the center and help social, civic, cultural, and educational organizations work in partnership in communities and at the state and national levels. One example stated in this report is the partnership with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading that is making this report possible. The Campaign—a collaborative effort among foundations, nonprofit partners, states, and communities—has made early literacy a key focus of its efforts to increase the number of low-income students reading proficiently by the end of third grade.

Howard, M. L. (2013). Growing young minds: How museums and libraries create lifelong learners. Washington, D. C.: Institute of Museum and Library Services. https://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/GrowingYoungMinds.pdf