Hi I received your letter concerning ways to promote February I Love To Read month.

I have a couple of ideas that could be implemented county wide. I will outline what I am doing in Upsala. I think that we need to bolster the image of fathers in the family. The small amount of research I have done tells me that fathers take a beating from media and, consequently, public opinion, in just about all aspects of their lives. Research also shows fathers want their children to love them and they want their children to succeed. The Collaborative could begin now to publish a series of ads in the Morrison County Record that promote dads reading with their children. Statistics supporting this activity are readily available. That ad campaign should culminate with ads each week of February. However, the ads should run all year long. For example, an ad could be run the end of May promoting squeezing in reading time through the summer. The end of August monthly ads could commence talking about reading; again the content is readily available and the Record could help with the design. Local famiies could be chosen as models. That idea has been quite successful in library campaigns. In January step up the campaign with two ads, the last one advertising February activities county wide. Each week of February an ad would run. The clincher is the ads running in March and April. Those should also run twice each month and should promote follow-up activities and attaboys to those who do read with their children. The ad cycle begins again the end of May. As this campaign develops, other entities such as faith communities, government services and health providers could be persuaded to promote the activities, also. I have a number of ideas for that portion of the campaign also. It needs to be accomplished in stages, however, and it needs some money. I also suggest approaching CMIF for a grant to help with the implementation of such a program. I am assuming the Collaborative does not have a budget. If nothing else develops, please contact the Minnesota Humanities Commission and explore their FRED (Fathers Reading Every Day) program. MHC has a number of reading initiatives that I am sure you are

aware of. Upsala will host 4 unique activities in February. Community Ed is sponsoring two evening groups - one for guys and their Kindergarten or First Grade child, the other for high school students. Our FRED nights will begin Jan. 31 and run through Feb. 28. The high school book club will meet once a month and begin in February. We will have our traditional Pajamarama Reading Night on Feb. 13 for elementary kids and their parents. The elementary students also participate in WILD About Reading during the month of February. WILD is sponsored by the Minnesota WILD Hockey team. I hope that gives you something for the grist mill. I do have a lot of ideas for reading. It is a passion of mine. I might also suggest a meeting of all school and public librarians in the county to discuss reading inititatives together. This could be opened to all who love reading, also. Let me know what you come up with and I will try to help. Thanks for the opportunity! Wanda Erickson Upsala Area Schools 415 S Main St PO Box 190 Upsala MN 56384 werickson@upsala.k12.mn.us werickson@rocketmail.com wandae@grrl.lib.mn.us 320.573.2175 x 141 and x 144