Prime Time at the Library: Building Reading Skills Together as a Family

When Brittany Robins was looking through the New Orleans Public Library’s website last spring for early literacy programs, she was thrilled to find one focused on building reading skills together as a family and jumped on the opportunity. With Prime Time Preschool, Robins and her 3-year-old daughter, Audre Lorraine, would come to the Library once a week for 6 weeks to spend time reading, doing activities, and building community together, after enjoying a meal with other participants.

The program was the first she’d attended at the Library and said it was “an amazing experience.”

“Being able to convene with other families and spend time with other kids, while also getting exposure to reading and comprehension was really wonderful for both of us,” Robins said. “We read every day at home, but this was a great extension of that while also building community and being around other kids reading, too. I think it shows little kids that reading can be a social activity, and I think that’s a great message. That it doesn’t have to be just done at home, literacy is all around us.”

Prime Time programs are designed by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) and sponsored by the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library, with funds from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Created by LEH in 1991, Prime Time is an award-winning program series designed to bring families together through literature and learning. The 6-week program features weekly 90-minute sessions of family fun at the Library that include a free meal, complimentary book, read-alouds, engaging discussions, and hands-on activities built around a central theme.

Christine McCourtney is the head of early literacy programming at the Library and said Prime Time is a fantastic way for families to develop a love of literacy together.

“LEH’s Prime Time Preschool Reading Program is such an incredible opportunity for families with early learners to come together to share a meal, enjoy a story, and play all while at the Library. Creating positive associations with reading from an early age really makes a difference when kids start to read independently,” McCourtney said.

“We are so excited every time we are able to provide this unique learning experience and connect with new and returning families”

In addition to meeting new families, making friends, and finding new ways to incorporate reading into other activities, Robins said receiving free copies of the books they read was “a big plus.”

“We’ve been able to add these books to our home library, which is definitely a nice addition,” she said.

The Library hosted another Prime Time Preschool series at East New Orleans Regional Library last fall and is getting ready for a third program this spring at Nora Navra Library.

“I was so excited to see that the Library was doing it again in the fall,” Robins said. “We had even more fun the second time around, and I loved seeing Audre’s growth between the spring and the fall sessions. In the first one, she was much less used to sitting and listening in a group-setting, and in the fall, it was nice to see how much she’d learned and adapted.”

For Audre, Robins said the best part was making new friends and connecting the stories and concepts they talked about in the program to her own life. In both the spring and fall sessions, Robins said she saw Audre’s reading and comprehension skills progress week by week.

“Every week, she’d engage in it a bit more. She’d know what to expect, and so I was able to see her pay closer attention and be able to answer the questions a bit more,” Robin said. “When we’d get home, she’d continue to talk about what we’ve read, and would want to read the story again, and make some new connections in addition to the ones she made during the program. It was really wonderful, and I just love seeing her so excited to be around books and learning.”

This spring, in addition to Prime Time Preschool, the Library will also host Prime Time Family at Rosa F. Keller Library & Community, which applies the same format for kids 6-10 years old. Amy Wander is the head of youth programming at the New Orleans Public Library and said she’s delighted to bring this beloved program to families with older children. Prime Time Family will also feature discussions led by Louisiana Poet Laureate Mona Lisa Saloy.

“It’s such an honor that the Library was awarded a Prime Time Family Reading grant this spring,” Wander said. “Prime Time is a tried-and-true program and we’re so excited to bring families together at the Library around reading. Plus, with scholar led discussions, families can really dig into each book, which adds an extra element that we’re so excited about. It’s truly something special and we can’t wait to get started.”

Emily Painton, the Library’s executive director and city librarian, said by offering this series to older children as well, the Library is demonstrating its commitment to being a place for lifelong learning.

“Our children’s teams are doing amazing work developing and implementing comprehensive programs throughout the Library system and we’re so excited to add Prime Time family to that roster,” Painton said. “In the decades since LEH first started this program, data has shown Prime Time has a measurable positive effect on participants’ long-term academic success, and we’re proud to bring these opportunities to New Orleans families.”

Shannan Cvitanovic, executive director of the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library, said that by attending Prime Time, caregivers are showing their children that reading is important and that learning together as a family is a priority.

“Caregivers want to be active participants in their children’s education. Prime Time is not only a high-quality learning experience for the kids, but it gives parents the tools to help them be their own children’s teachers,” Cvitanovic said. “By hosting Prime Time, the Library is also signaling their dedication to supporting families to grow and learn together. We cannot thank the LEH enough for their continued commitment to this partnership and for the work they do to further the Friends’ and the Library’s missions.”

Prime Time Preschool starts March 6 at Nora Navra Library (1902 St. Bernard Ave.). Prime Time Family kicks off the following day at Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center (4300 S. Broad St.). Registration is required and space is limited. Visit nolalibrary.co/prime-time to sign up. If registration is full, families are encouraged to add their name to the waiting list, as space may open after the program starts.