|
Creating Communities of Readers |
|
“Sharing Our Past — Shaping Our Future” Since 1974 |
|
The town of Milton is in northern Chittenden County. The land area of this town is one of the largest in the state. To the east are the foothills of the Green Mountains and to the west lies Lake Champlain. Its population is 9,500.
Like Barre and Bennington, its demographics are changing. In the last two years, Milton’s population has increased by 5%. Its economy has been largely agriculturally based, but as the farms disappear, a bedroom community for neighboring cities and towns is quickly growing. The school system is its largest employer. Other significant employers are Husky Injection Molding, Hannaford Supermarket, and CVPS.
Some time ago, Milton identified literacy as an important issue. Each school has a literacy action plan and team. The CCR grant adds to significant current work in literacy at the public library and the Milton Community Center.
The lead group for the grant is the Milton Literacy Action Team, directed by Michelle Corbiere and Ann Noel. Partners in the project include Milton Public Library, the Town School District, Milton Family Community Center, Milton Historical Society, Arrowhead Senior Center, and Milton Business Association.
The organizers face many challenges in its literacy work, including a rural community with a lack of a town center and public transportation. But the eager Literacy Action Team plans to engage the community in literacy activities, foster pride in the community, and establish sustainable network of services and resources for increased literacy throughout the community.
Their goals for the grant include increasing library circulation and use, increasing attendance at literacy activities, increasing childhood reading, and decreasing the number of kids who are not ready for kindergarten when they enter school.
To get the project rolling, the team developed a bookmobile that brings the library to the town. The bookmobile rolls into community centers, childcare facilities, mobile home parks, elementary and junior high schools, and senior centers. In addition to bringing books, the bookmobile brings story hours, theme boxes, and speakers.
The funding will allow Milton to expand its books discussion program for middle and high schoolers, bringing it to adults, seniors, and multi-generational audiences. For more information about Milton’s CCR project, contact Michelle Corbier at (802) 893-3843 or Ann Noel at (802) 893-6343.
|
|
Millie Milton’s new Bookmobile |
|
Office in Montpelier
11 Loomis Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 802.262.2626 Fax: 802.262.2620 E-mail: info@vermonthumanities.org |
