Services: Bolsitas Rojas – Our Spanish-language, 2Gen Bolsitas Rojas programs take place in all public libraries from Aspen to Parachute, at the CMC Spring Valley Library, and TACAW, serving caregivers with children ages 0-5. These parent-child early literacy networks bring together families of children not enrolled in preschool. In weekly, hour-long “preschool” sessions, Raising A Reader staff model storytime, provide preschool activities, and encourage parent engagement, early literacy behaviors, and well-being at home. These sessions also include the weekly rotation of our Red Book Bags.
Our Spanish-language, 2Gen Summer Camp programs take place in June every year. This year, we expanded our camps to include Silt and Carbondale, while continuing our existing camps in El Jebel, Parachute, Rifle, and Glenwood Springs. Our summer camps run for three weeks each summer in June. Each program consists of a two-hour session held twice a week, allowing our bilingual program coordinators to rotate among the communities to provide this camp. In parks, parents and their children engage with story time, preschool activities, and outdoor songs and games. Parents also receive free books and take-home materials in their native language.
The 123 Let’s Read program gifts one book monthly to each participating teacher and every student in their class or home. With each book, RAR staff provides customized suggestions for home activities to stimulate brain development, enhance vocabulary, and motivate at-home reading. Each child receives seven books a year to build the all-important home library.
Our Red Book Bags promote parent-child bonding and increase read-aloud time at home by providing families with 75+ high-quality books during the school year. Each week, children take home a different red bag filled with 3-4 books to read with their parents, enjoy themselves, and return for a new bag the following week. Each bag provides resources to encourage parents to read regularly at home with their families.
Blue Bag Library Days introduces preschool and kindergarten children who participate in one of our book programs to local libraries so they and their families can access books and other resources. Children receive a Raising A Reader blue library bag to keep and carry their library books to and from home. They also receive their first library card and information about summer reading programs, thus promoting lifelong library use.
Imagination Library: Raising a Reader partners with the Garfield County Libraries to provide Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for all children ages 0-5. This program offers a free book sent to the child’s home from birth until the child is 5 years old. This program will serve additional children with the early literacy books needed for families to read routinely at home together. To register, go to Garfield County Imagination Library.
Community Event: We also host the annual Children’s Arts and Literacy Festival, a free event for children ages 0-8 and their families at the Glenwood Springs Branch Library, the second Saturday of October from 2-5 pm. This annual event celebrates literacy and the arts. Local authors and art vendors provide engaging activities, and each child receives a book bag and a free book. We will be hosting our fourth festival on October 11, 2025.
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Families with children ages 0-5 for our 2-generation programs. Our book programs are for preschool and kindergarten children.
Hours: Weekly programs are Monday – Friday in the mornings. Check website for programming places and times.
Website: http://www.rar4kids.org/
Phone: 970-319-5034
Address: (Office Only) 817 Colorado Avenue #205 Glenwood Springs CO 81601
