Get The Funk Out Laundromat, based in Caldwell, Idaho, has teamed up with the Caldwell Public Library and the Laundry Literacy Coalition to help promote early childhood literacy by installing a Family Read, Play & Learn Center within the laundry business.
“Over the last few years, we’ve tried to create more outreach opportunities with the community, meeting people where they’re at,” explained Lacey Forst, director of the Caldwell Public Library. “When you think about how much time you spend doing laundry during the week, if even a fraction of that time could be spent reading or playing, those literacy-rich activities have the ability to be really impactful.”
The Idaho Commission for Libraries and the Laundry Literacy Coalition – which is an alliance between the LaundryCares Foundation and the Clinton Foundation’s Too Small to Fail initiative – have joined forced on the creation of 13 literacy and learning spaces that are being installed in laundromats across the state as part of a national network.
“The librarians could have an opportunity to reach out to those people as well and help guide some of the parents into encouraging early literacy for their young ones,” said Monique Gabby, the outreach librarian for the Caldwell Public Library.
“As we’re growing, it’s hard to keep up with only the one physical building,” Forst added. “So, outreach becomes even more important.”
