The Reading Institute and Brooklyn Public Library are teaming up on a new literacy initiative aimed at strengthening early reading skills across the borough. Back by over $300,000 in grant funding from the Hecksher Foundation for Children, the partnership will introduce research-based reading practices to families and librarians in all 62 BPL branches.
The Reading Institute is a New York City-based nonprofit recognized for its “evidence-based literacy training and interventions for schools, universities and community organizations.” The collaboration with BPL over the next year will involve developing practical tools that caregivers can use at home and providing new professional development opportunities for development staff.
Central to the effort is the “science of reading,” a comprehensive body of research from “psychology, linguistics, neuroscience and education” that outlines how children learn to read. The approach emphasizes structured instruction in “phonemic awareness, phonics fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and writing.”
Organizations part of the project will develop sets of activities and letter-picture cards based on The Reading Institute’s programming, and its materials will be distributed to families in the borough. Library staff will also be trained in the science of reading, giving them updated understandings on how young people learn to read.
Partners expect to equip at least 100 BPL librarians with practical strategies for “supporting early literacy development,” which can be modeled in other city libraries.
“Libraries play such a vital role in our communities. By elevating Brooklyn Public Library programs and activities that support the science of reading, we can help families implement simple, joyful ways to support a literacy-rich environment at home,” Dr. Katie Pace Miles, founder and president of The Reading Institute and associate professor of reading science at Brooklyn College, said in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with Brooklyn Public Library to bring these research-based tools directly to the families who need them most.”
Brooklyn Public Library leadership said the support will strengthen the existing work librarians do with its young readers.
“As a public library, helping children learn to read is one of our most important responsibilities,” Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, said. “We are thrilled to partner with The Reading Institute to help our youngest patrons begin developing a lifelong love of reading.”
The project, formally named “Integrating the Science of Reading Into Library-Based Literacy Events,” will run from October 2025 to September 2026. For more information, visit bklynlibrary.org.
