NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE WINNERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE CHILDREN'S TRUST FUND PROJECT

by Nancy Cristiano, Supervisor
Family Resource Connection
NH State Library
www.nh.gov/nhsl/frc/
FRC@library.state.nh.us

For most public libraries in New Hampshire, being a beneficiary to a trust fund is like winning a lottery - it seems to happen to those who are "lucky" or already "have a lot of money." In case you haven't heard, 2007 is a lucky year for ALL New Hampshire public libraries - thanks to the generosity of New Hampshire Children's Trust Fund (NHCTF).

This year, NHCTF is celebrating 20 years of "keeping [NH's] children safe and families strong" by providing resources for communities to prevent child abuse and neglect. NHCTF believes the key to keeping children safe is by supporting parents. With this goal in mind, NHCTF has launched a statewide "Strengthening Families in Community Libraries Project."

The objective of the Community Libraries Project (CLP) is to provide essential information about parenting, managing day-to-day stress, nutrition, fitness, child behavior, and child development to each of the public libraries in New Hampshire. Bearing in mind that most communities have a public library, NHCTF hopes to strengthen the 160,000 New Hampshire families with children by providing parenting resources in a publicly accessible location - the public library.

Each New Hampshire public library will receive a portable rack with selected parenting resources, including information from community and statewide family support organizations, as well as other recommended parenting materials. In addition, each public library will be given a 12-volume set of the nationally acclaimed I Am Your Child parenting DVD series produced by Rob Reiner, intended for use according to the needs of each local community.

Tiles in the I Am Your Child Parenting DVD series include:

• A Child with Special Needs
  
• Discipline: Teaching Limits with Love
  
• The First Years Last Forever
  
• Food and Fitness Matter: Raising Health, Active Kids!
  
• Preparing for Parenthood
  
• Stop Smoking Now
  
• Quality Child Card
  
• To Be A Father
  
• Ready to Learn
  
• Why Early Childhood Manners
  
• Your Healthy Baby

NHCTF's goal is to connect a sponsor and a local agency (or individual) to collaborate with each public library. As of June 2007, 73 libraries have received sponsorships for the Community Libraries Project. NHCTF hopes to raise enough money to sponsor all of New Hampshire's public libraries by December 2008. The following New Hampshire businesses and foundations are contributing sponsors:

• Verizon Foundation
  
• Samuel P. Pardoe Foundation
  
• Bank of America
  
• Fidelity Investments
  
• Saul O. Sidore Memorial Foundation
  
• Merrimack County Savings Bank
  
• First Colebrook Bank

New Hampshire families and public libraries are not the only beneficiaries of NHCTF's 20-year anniversary celebration - future generations will also profit from NCTF's Community Libraries Project. A collective note of admiration and gratitude should echo through New Hampshire's public libraries for the dedication and commitment of NHCTF and their mission of "keeping children safe and families strong." Parents and relatives will benefit from the gifts of parenting resources and supports, which will in turn directly influence their children. The enhanced exposure of families to community resources - in particular public libraries - will open the proverbial "door to literacy," and be cause for celebration throughout New Hampshire's communities.

For questions or additional information about the Community Libraries Project, contact: Diane Hastings, Special Projects Director or Karen Carpenter, Executive Director, New Hampshire Children's Trust Fund, 95 North State Street, Suite 3, Concord, N.H. 03301, or call (603) 224-1279, info@nhctf.org; www.nctf.org.