Library Staff

Libraries Count

We are thrilled to share our IMLS-funded project, Libraries Count.

Our work will support library staff in their work with families and children around early math.

Want to Try It?

Click on image below to download flyer
Click here to sign up

What are We Doing?

Our Aims

Co-Creating an online professional learning program for library staff focused on math learning for children ages 3-5 and their families.
Building the capacity of library staff to include more math in library programming while integrating the needs, expectations, and realities of diverse families and their children.
Advocating for a strengths-based lens in our work with children, families, library staff, and communities.
Presenting the major domains in early math, including equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible ways of knowing and doing math with young children, concrete ways of building math into library programming, and strategies for engaging families in this work.
Evaluating the Libraries Count project throughout (Years 1-3), using mixed methods approaches.

Our Leadership Team (LT)

The team works to coordinate the project, lead research, incorporate the input, and share opportunities!

Project PI

Dr. Alissa Lange

Project Co-PI

Dr. Bharat Mehra

LT Member

Dr. Carol Trivette

LT Member

Dr. Kwangma Ko

Project Coordinator Project Assistants

Helen Orimaye Amie Perry Nicolas Arias

Get to know our Development Group!

With representatives from all the 10 participating states and funding from IMLS, Our Development Group are currently collaborating to co-develop and evaluate the modules to roll out a FREE professional learning program through Webjunction soon!

The program is focused on math programming for young children and their families across diverse contexts.

Kristin Grabarek
Library Programming for Diverse Communities
Colorado

Taylor Floria
Frederick County Public Libraries
Maryland

Karen Stuppi
New Brunswick Free Public Library
New Jersey

Pamela Archer Hamlin
Prince George's County Memorial Library System
Maryland

Lauren Williams
Arapahoe Libraries
Colorado

Jenny Claiborne
Martin Public Library
Tennessee

Hanna Gray
Gadsden Public Library
Alabama

Samantha Cote
Windham Public Library
Maine

Lynda Mallory
Frederick
Maryland

Additional Development Group contributors (past and present):

Sharon Phillips, New York State Library, New York
Susana (Susie) Beltrán-Grimm, California/Indiana/Oregon
Brie Chillious, Quincie Douglas Library, Arizona
Deepshikka Mishra, family member, New Jersey
Patricia Pederson, Betts Library, New York
Margaret Capobianco, Rockville Centre Public Library, New York
Meg Beer, Woods Memorial Library, Arizona
Catherine Miller, Maine

Kimberly Brenneman, California/New Jersey

The 3-year applied research project is led by Dr. Alissa Lange (PI), Director of EC STEM Lab and the Center of Excellence in STEM Education at ETSU, and Dr. Bharat Mehra (Co-PI), faculty in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama.

Press Release - ETSU

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services RE-252310-OLS-22.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

MASST Program

Click here to learn more and get free activity plans for the Math and Science Story Time, MASST, program.

Science at Libraries Program

LEAP into Science

Discovery Center in Murfreesboro shares free kits to support science in libraries and elsewhere - connecting reading and STEM.

Learn more.