All Yours Just Ask
Age appropriate books recommended from the Children’s Librarians for infants, toddlers and children up to tweens.
Click to view and download reading lists.
Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading Levels used by Springfield Public Schools are listed after titles for independent readers.
Springfield Library Foundation to Raise Funds for New Library
$2 Million “Promise Realized” Capital Campaign Launching in September
September 2017 –
The Springfield Library Foundation is launching a $2 million Capital Campaign to support replacement of the current East Forest Park Branch Library with a new building. The fundraising effort is officially titled “Promise Realized” to recognize the both the potential within the East Forest Park neighborhood and the promise to continue rebuilding following the destruction of the 2011 tornado. The Foundation, which provides significant funding for Springfield City Library operations, made the formal announcement during a press conference on Tuesday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Central Library.
The new East Forest Park Branch Library will be constructed using a $4.9 million state grant and municipal support. The Foundation’s Capital Campaign will raise additional funds needed to complete the project. The Springfield Library Foundation has contracted Financial Development Agency to coordinate the campaign.
The existing branch is one of the busiest locations in Springfield, but struggles to serve the high numbers of visitors with only 4,100 square feet of strip mall space. Springfield residents are underserved in the facility, which lacks program and meeting rooms, high-speed internet access, and accessible entrances and restrooms. The new building will consist of 17,000 square feet of community space, including special areas for children and teens, a community room, study rooms, dozens of public computers, and a maker space. The new branch is expected to be “a model for the future” according to Springfield City Library Director Molly Fogarty.
Mayor Sarno said, “This new library branch is a key part of revitalizing the city, especially the tornado stricken area of our East Forest Park neighborhood. A stand-alone library for East Forest Park has been talked about for nearly 40 years. I’m proud to say that my administration is going to get it done. It’s also great to again partner with former Mayor Charlie Ryan and our Library Foundation to raise additional funds for this important ‘quality of life’ neighborhood project. No donation is too small or too large. Please be a part of history.”
“We’re so fortunate that the state, city, and Library Foundation will be coming together to make this plan a reality. The new library will have a significant positive impact for the East Forest Park neighborhood and the city as a whole,” said Director Fogarty.
“As a member of the Library Foundation and a resident of East Forest Park, this is an especially important announcement for me and all of the residents who have taken advantage of the current location and have been anxiously awaiting a full service library for many years. This Library will be the foundation for education and community development for generations to come,” said Commissioner Caulton-Harris.
Charlie Ryan, former Springfield Mayor and Treasurer of the Foundation board, said,”We’re looking forward to bringing the message with this branch to our fellow citizens. We trust that they will agree with us that its benefits will be felt for generations to come.”
Founded in 1857, the Springfield City Library provides over 800,000 free print, physical, and digital resources for public enrichment, as well as nearly 5000 educational and recreational programs per year. To learn more, visit www.springfieldlibrary.org.
For further information please contact Jessica Blasko, Springfield City Library Community Relations Coordinator, at (413) 263-6828 x422, or jblasko@springfieldlibrary.org.
Children start collecting words at birth. They learn them through repetition. Research consistently shows children who start school with the largest vocabularies have the easiest time learning to read.
Everyone wants their child to be a success. One of the first places a child can succeed is school.
In school, kids learn to read. Learning to read is a big deal! If you can read, you can learn anything!
But we have a crisis in Springfield. Sixty percent of our kids aren’t reading proficiently by 4th grade. And 4th grade matters! In 4th grade, you get real textbooks and you read to learn new things. It’s a big step!
The reason so many children fail to read proficiently by 4th grade is not because they have not learned to sound out words. They can sound out the words. The problem is that they have never heard or don’t use those words and therefore do not know what they mean.
If you have to sound out too many words you don’t understand, you do not get a mental picture of what is happening. If you don’t get a picture in your head, you will not know what is going on in the book. If you don’t know what is going on, you will be bored and frustrated and you will not continue reading. It is that simple.
Children need adults to give them the words, before they try to read them themselves.
Where do adults get these words?
Books! We have approximately 176,000 volumes in the children’s collections in the Springfield City Library system. They are all available for your use, free of charge!
Books contain words that we tend not to say to each other but that children are going to need to read and understand. (When was the last time you said “perched” to refer to the way your reading glasses sit on your nose?)
If you read to your child for at least twenty minutes a day, every day, you will be putting those words in her ear. That is all you need to do.
Children start collecting words at birth. They learn them through repetition. Research consistently shows children who start school with the largest vocabularies have the easiest time learning to read.
It also shows that, unchecked, the socioeconomic gap that occurs by age three can be so huge as to be insurmountable. You cannot wait until your child starts preschool to start building vocabulary.
Good news! Regardless of race or class, children who are read to daily, from birth and continuing after they can read on their own, are the most successful readers. Research shows that daily reading overcomes economic disadvantage.
Successful readers stay in school. Half of Springfield’s children do not finish high school in four years.
What are your plans for your child?
Haven’t been reading to your child? It’s never too late to start! Every day you read to your child helps.
Need help? Springfield has a lot going on to support early literacy! Check out Reading Success by 4th Grade for some ideas — or ask your librarian!
Free classes on a wide-range of parenting topics, including early literacy, are offered by the Springfield Parent Academy.
Interested in going deeper?
Too Small to Fail is a joint initiative of the Clinton Foundation and Next Generation. Their goal is to help parents and businesses take action in ways that will contribute to the success of all children.
Zero to Three is a national organization that provides information about children’s development.
Citation list :
Printing in black and white is available at all Springfield City Library locations. Please check your local branch library for specific details.
Printing is available in black and white only, and costs 15 cents per page.
Mobile printing is available at five of our branch libraries during library hours from your phone, laptop, home computer, or other device. You don’t have to be in the Central Library to print but you must pick up the print job on the same day. Ask a staff member for assistance.
| Branch | Printer ID | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Central Library – Wellman Hall | 109262 | 220 State Street |
| East Forest Park | 109283 | 136 Surrey Road |
| East Springfield | 109265 | 21 Osborne Terrace |
| Forest Park | 109297 | 380 Belmont Avenue |
| Mason Square | 109291 | 765 State Street |
Printing is available in black and white only, and costs 15 cents per page.
Self-service faxing and scanning stations are available at all library branches during open hours.
There is a $1 per job charge for a traditional fax (in black and white only). Scanning is free, with options to send your documents to an e-mail address or to save them to a USB drive, tablet or smartphone.
Ask a staff member for assistance.
Please note that our libraries are unable to receive fax transmissions.
Free resources to help you learn and expand your technology skills.
DigitalLearn.org – If you are new to computers, haven’t used them for a while, or just need a bit of a refresher, we have the tools to help you tackle technology at your own pace and gain the confidence you need to succeed.
Video tutorials and printable instructions are available on the following topics:
Getting Started on a Computer – Comenzar en la Computadora
Navigating A Website – Navegar por un sitio web
Intro to Email – Introducción a Correo electrónico
Basic Search – Búsqueda Básica
Accounts & Passwords – Cuentas y contraseñas
Online Scams – Las estafas en línea
Internet Privacy – La Privacidad en Internet
and more …
The Springfield City Library periodically offers classes on Computer Basics visit our adult programs page for more information and to register for upcoming classes.
Our Book A Librarian service is available for one-on-one assistance with basic computing, job searching, homework, resume writing, trouble-shooting your computer, or just figuring out how to use different features on your smart phone. To schedule an appointment, call or visit the Springfield City Library location most convenient to you for half-hour tutoring sessions.
Are you looking for help with Microsoft Word, Excel, or some other piece of software?
See the resources listed below for free tutorials and lessons you can go through at your own pace!
Need help with technology or using the library’s electronic Resources? We can help you by phone, e-mail, in person or through our Book A Librarian service – available for one-on-one assistance with basic computing.
August 2016 –
Public Can Now View Springfield Directories from the Last 167 Years
Springfield City Library is pleased to announce its inclusion in the Digital Commonwealth, beginning with the digitization of City of Springfield directories. City directories list addresses and business ads, and are used by genealogists, historians, and others researching people and places of the past. Digitization provides an easy way for the public to look through directories online. Once the project is complete in 2017, a full listing of the City of Springfield directories from 1849 – 1989 will be available in the Internet Archive. Directories from 1849-1869 are available thanks to the generosity of Maggie Humberston at the Wood Museum of Springfield History.
The Digital Commonwealth site provides access to thousands of images, documents, and sound recordings that have been digitized by member institutions so that they may be available to researchers, students, and the general public. Digital Commonwealth members receive free digitization services from the Boston Public Library as part of a grant awarded by the MBLC (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) and funded by the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act). Member institution’s collections are included in the Digital Commonwealth, Internet Archive, and Digital Public Library of America. Explore the Digital Commonwealth here.
Visit our Local History and Genealogy page (coming soon) for more information about our collections.
Founded in 1857, the Springfield City Library provides over 800,000 free print, physical, and digital resources for public enrichment.
