Brooklyn, NY – New York State Assembly Library Chair Robert Carroll (D/WF-44) today announced $180,000 in funding for the Brooklyn Public Library to purchase decodable books for every library in Brooklyn. He was joined by Linda Johnson, BPL President and CEO and made the announcement after doing a story time with 1st Graders from P.S. 321 at the Park Slope Library.

 “I am thrilled to have secured $180,000 in State funding to purchase decodable books for every BPL branch in Brooklyn. It has been my mission since joining the State Assembly in 2016 to see that every child gets the instruction and supports they need to become strong readers. Our schools and libraries need to work in tandem when it comes to literacy education and it is wonderful to see BPL so fully embracing evidence-based practices. My thanks to BPL President Linda Johnson and her team for their ongoing partnership.I can’t wait to see libraries throughout Brooklyn stocked with the decodable readers that this funding will provide,” said Assemblymember Carroll.

Decodable readers are books that help new readers practice phonics. They use mostly words that match the letter-sound patterns students have already learned, so children can sound out the text, read successfully, and build confidence and fluency.

Brooklyn Public Library is embarking on a comprehensive initiative to train librarians in the Science of Reading and to build a collection of books to support children who are learning to read with this method.