Brooklyn Public Library will host a variety of multicultural and multilingual programs for children and families during the week of April 27th in celebration of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day). Known as Día, El día de los niños/El día de los libros raises awareness of the importance of literacy for children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Nearly half of Brooklyn’s residents speak a language other than English at home, and Brooklyn Public Library offers print and digital collections in 35 languages. Last year, Brooklynites borrowed more than 1.4 million materials in world languages.
“Brooklyn’s libraries are centers of education, exploration and opportunity for children and families from all over the world,” said Brooklyn Public Library Immigrant Services Coordinator Eva Raison. “Through literacy events and programs like Día, we help parents and caregivers raise avid readers and enthusiastic learners in English and many other languages.”
Brooklyn Public Library will host Día programs throughout its 60 branches, with puppet shows, crafting classes, theatrical performances, story times, sing-alongs and other family-friendly activities in various languages, including Spanish, Russian, Chinese and more. Libraries hosting Día celebrations include Arlington, Borough Park, Bushwick, Central, Clinton Hill, Coney Island, Crown Heights, Cypress Hills, DeKalb, Dyker, Eastern Parkway, Flatbush, Fort Hamilton, Greenpoint, Kings Bay, Midwood, New Utrecht, Red Hook, Sheepshead Bay, Sunset Park, Washington Irving and Windsor Terrace.
Día is a modern offshoot of Children’s Day, which was founded in 1925 to bring attention to the importance and well-being of children. In 1996, acclaimed children’s book author Pat Mora proposed linking Children’s Day with literacy to found El día de los niños/El día de los libros.
For more information on Brooklyn Public Library Día events, please call Eva Raison at 718.230.2715, or visit http://www.bklynpubliclibrary.org/immigrant-services/dia-diversity-action.
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