Reading literacy is essential, and it's vital to start your kid reading at an early age. When you teach your child to read and write, these skills are an investment in your child's future. At the same time, it's crucial academically when your child goes to school. Everything from voting to doing your taxes, applying for a job, etc., requires reading and writing comprehension. Schooling can help your children learn many valuable skills, but it's not enough for many students. These skills must also be expanded and discovered at home. Access to books and learning material can be more challenging for various reasons. I compiled a list of beneficial free tools to help with literacy.
1. OPEN Library - https://openlibrary.org/
If you don't have access to a library for reading material but you do have an internet connection and computer or an internet connection and smartphone. The Open Libary at the link below provides free access to thousands of high-quality e-books. You are required to sign up with your email. Once registered, you check out or borrow any book on the site in one-hour increments. The site even has a section for children in school https://openlibrary.org/collections/k-12.
2. LA County Libraries - https://lacountylibrary.org/
The library is still a great place to access books the old-fashioned way. Once you get your library card, you can access many free books. There are also many digital books you can access from your local library. This website can help you find the closest library in your area https://lacountylibrary.org/library-locator/
3. Mobile Library: Gateway Bookmobile is a traveling library that stops at a specific location on Tuesdays and Fridays. You can find out more about this moving library at the link below. https://lacountylibrary.org/gateway-bookmobile/
4. Little Free Libary https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
These are community book exchanges where you can leave or take a book. You are not required to share when you take a book. It's all based on the honor system, so when you're done, please return the book. The process is 100% free, and you can find the closest book box to you with this link: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/. The video below also gives more detail on the process.
1. Source: https://edsource.org/updates/california-has-the-lowest-literacy-rate-of-any-state-data-suggests
2. Source: https://openlibrary.org/
3. Source: https://lacountylibrary.org/
4. Source: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
5. Source: https://lacountylibrary.org/gateway-bookmobile/