Congrats to Rancho Cucamonga

Congratulations to Rancho Cucamonga on this honor!  If you'd like information about a Play and Learn Island™ , let me know.

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Press Release

Contact:

Michelle Perera, Assistant Library Director

Rancho Cucamonga Library Services

909-477-2720 ext. 5055

michelle.perera@CityofRC.us

 

Rancho Cucamonga Library’s Play and Learn Islands™ Honored by Harvard University as “Bright Idea”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2012

 

Rancho Cucamonga, California – Harvard University announced the 2012 cohort of “Bright Ideas” in government and Rancho Cucamonga Library’s Play and Learn Islands™  are on the list!

The Ash Center at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government recognizes innovative government initiatives from around the United States through its “Bright Ideas” program. The City of Rancho Cucamonga Library was one of those recognized as part of this prestigious 2012 cohort for its Play and Learn Islands™.  Play and Learn Islands™ are hands-on, interactive, multi-modal, developmentally age-appropriate, early learning exhibits for children and their families that encourage creating, designing and redesigning, building, experiential learning, reading readiness, and motor skills development through unstructured play, spontaneity, and imagination. 

This year’s Bright Idea cohort hails from all levels of government—including school districts, county, city, state, and federal agencies as well as public-private partnerships—and demonstrates a creative range of solutions to issues such as urban and rural degradation, environmental problems, and the academic achievement of students. Programs were evaluated and selected by a team of policy experts from academic and public sectors. Rancho Cucamonga Library is proud to be a part of Harvard’s Bright Idea program in the esteemed company of such innovative programs, as well as the only public library honored. 

The Play and Learn Islands™ have been created by the Rancho Cucamonga Library in an effort to provide interactive learning for children and their families in the Library.  The Play and Learn Islands™ were funded through several Library Services Technology Act grants from the California State Library and Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as through a generous donation from the Rancho Cucamonga Library Foundation.  In an effort to share the Play and Learn Islands™ with the library community, the Rancho Cucamonga Library has created a loan program to allow interested California Libraries to borrow them for their libraries.  To date, 35 libraries have borrowed a Play and Learn Island™ and several have also purchased a Play and Learn Islands™ through the Califa Group. 

For additional information, please visit www.rcpl.lib.ca.us or call (909) 477-2720, x5055.