A Legacy of Literacy Learning: How a Community Member’s Gift Shaped Children’s Programming at the Library

Public libraries have always been a home for literacy learning. In 2006, Halifax Public Libraries celebrated Family Literacy Day by introducing new programs and resources designed to improve early literacy in our youngest library visitors. This was made possible by a generous gift from the late Athena Colpitts, a former teacher and a community member who recognized the important role libraries play in children's literacy.

This gift helped Halifax Public Libraries to hold workshops for parents, host a system-wide Family Read-in Challenge, launch interactive play spaces called Imagination Stations, offer new programming to the public, and provide specified training for staff. Together, these efforts helped shape a model of library service that contributed to the evolution of our children's spaces and programs over the years. Thanks to Colpitts' gift, Halifax Public Libraries become an even richer environment for learning at the early stages of life.

Today, Halifax Public Libraries regularly offers interactive learning spaces, literacy building programs, and community reading challenges. The TD Summer Reading Club is a national reading program that encourages children to maintain their literacy skills during the summer months, building upon the very same values the Library fostered with Colpitts' gift. Among our other children's learning programs, we also offer Paws to Read, a beloved program that helps children build confidence by reading to dogs. Newcomer children have their own dedicated program with Family English Learning Support, where parent and child can both practice language learning.

But literacy isn't just about reading; for little ones, it begins with exploring shapes, dancing to music, observing puppet show performances, discovering sensory play with different materials, and much more. Hands-on learning of all different kinds is the building block for early literacy. From preschoolers to school-age kids, STEAM workshops to arts and crafts, our daily program offerings on our What's On calendar encourage different levels of literacy learning for children of all ages.

By positioning families as partners in learning and by offering a combination of play, reading, and skill-building activities, these programs helped redefine our libraries as dynamic, family-centered hubs that support children's growth from their earliest years.

Now, 20 years later, Colpitts' legacy still influences Halifax Public Libraries' approach to youth literacy as a new generation of children discover the power of learning. Family Literacy Day, celebrated on January 27, is a time when we reflect on the progress we've made to date, and look ahead to providing more high-quality, free programs that help families build strong learning habits. See what we've got lined up for this year's Family Literacy Day and drop by your nearest Library.