Here at DBRL we are so excited to be able to offer classic stories in languages other than English with LOTE Online! Finding Spanish or French books is difficult, but for speakers of languages like Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Russian, Mandarin and Urdu, it’s next to impossible. Now you and your family can access children’s picture books in 25 different languages, all from the comfort of your own home with your library card. You can choose to have the books “read aloud” or you can read the text yourself. The online library includes many classic tales: “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Little Red Hen” and “Puss in Boots.”
One of the areas of strategic focus for our library is to “foster a community-focused culture of innovation, leadership and access for all.” We believe that reading to children, no matter what language, is an important step in that direction. According to a recent study, reading to your child in your native language will help them learn how to read in other languages in the future. Reading with young children is a lot like putting a child in gymnastics. Even if they don’t go on to become the next Simone Biles, the flexibility, strength and muscle memories they develop will help them learn any other sport in the future. When you read to a child in their home language, the brain starts learning what reading is and will be able to apply the same “muscle memory” if they learn another language, such as English. Having access to stories in languages other than English helps bridge the literacy gap, enabling all children in our community to have access to stories they can share with their families.
Please share this great resource with any families in our community who speak a second language, and stay tuned for 10 more languages being added soon!
