Early Literacy Project

The Baxter County Early Literacy Project is a collaboration between the Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, Cotter, and Norfork School Districts, Schliemann Center for Women's Health Education, ASUMH, and other early literacy advocates.

Project Mission

To equip all Baxter County children with the early literacy skills they need to be prepared to enter Kindergarten, by:

Getting books into their hands
Promoting the importance of early literacy
Instilling the practice of reading aloud into family culture
Increasing awareness of Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards

Current Projects

Little Free Libraries

There are 9 Early Literacy Project Little Free Libraries in Baxter County stocked with children’s books. You can’t miss them – they are bright yellow. Anyone may take a children's book or leave a children's book to share. Get a free book, and read it with your child today!

LOCATIONS

Cooper Park in Mountain Home
Quail Run/Meadow Park Apartments in Mountain Home
Mountain Home Kindergarten
Gassville City Park
Norfork Youth Center - COMING SOON
Norfork City Park Playground - COMING SOON
Big Spring Park in Cotter
Mountain Station Apartments in Mountain Home
Hickory Park in Mountain Home
Donald W. Reynolds Library Serving Baxter County

Little Free Library Locator Map

Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails one free, high-quality book per month to children from birth until their 5th birthday, no matter their family’s income. Thanks to some generous donations, this program is available to children in Baxter County! To enroll your child, visit the Library or Baxter County Imagination Library.

Baxter County Imagination Library Page

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program engages parents in a commitment to read 1000 books to their child before the child enters kindergarten. Reading aloud to your child is the single most important activity you can do to prepare your child to learn to read. Research by Mem Fox, literacy expert and children’s author, concludes that 1000 stories read aloud is a critical milestone. To get started, visit the Library.

YES, you really can read 1000 books to your child before kindergarten!

You have 1826 nights between birth and your child’s fifth birthday.
If you read 1 book per night for three years, you will have read 1095 books.
If you read 10 books each week for two years, you will have read 1040 books.
If you read 3 books most days, in less than one year you’ll reach your milestone.