Family Literacy Services





Raising A Reader

Contact Literacy Coordinator Pam DaGrossa (530-458-0373, pdagrossa@countyofcolusa.com) for more information or stop by your local branch!

Book Giveaways

The Colusa County Free Library Literacy Program gives away free books for children ages birth through 17 a minimum of six times per year. This is done not only to encourage a love of reading in the youth of the county, but also to promote literacy for the county as a whole by building up home libraries. In fact, around the world, one thing that has been shown to be a consistently powerful predictor of academic achievement is a home library.

Here are the top five reasons that we host youth book giveaways:

  1. 79.3% of children who own books believe "the more I read, the better I become"
  2. 20% of children who don’t own books read below their grade level
  3. 34% of children who own books read "every day"
  4. 15.4% of children who don’t own books "never read"
  5. Children who don’t own books are 12.6% more likely to never visit a library

Preschool Summer Reading Program

Each summer, the Colusa County Free Library Literacy Program hosts a 6-week summer reading program of various themes for children ages birth-5. Children and their caregivers explore a particular theme through stories, songs, and activities. Additionally, children will be given new books appropriate to their age that they can take home to keep. This helps foster a love of reading in children and builds up home libraries!  Each participating site will be capped at 15 children, and registration is required. Enrollment begins in late May; contact the Literacy Coordinator at 458-0373 for questions or more information about registration.

Stay & Play

In between Raising A Reader and Summer Reading programs, Stay & Play is offered once a week at the Colusa branch. Stay & Play is specifically designed to serve and support the needs of informal childcare providers, often referred to as Family, Friend, and Neighbors or FFNs, though parents are welcome, too! Call 458-0373 for more information.