Two new libraries focus on early childhood care and education

A parent wondering how to get their infant to sleep through the night, or a preschool teacher searching for the latest research on early literacy can visit the newly opened Resource Library and Training Center at United Way’s Center for Excellence in Early Education. With more than 2,000 books and materials, the Center provides parents, teachers, child care providers and others with the knowledge and tools necessary to give children the best start in school and in life.   Children also have a special place to bury their nose in a book.  The United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education’s Demonstration School houses the children’s library, known as Storyville.

Community leaders, volunteers and United Way staff will gather at 10:30 am, Tuesday, January 29th to dedicate the Resource Library and Training Center, underwritten by developer and philanthropist Don Soffer and his family, and Storyville, underwritten by United Way Women’s Leadership.  In addition to a ribbon cutting ceremony, the celebration will include a book reading for young children.  The Center is located at 3250 Southwest 3rd Avenue, Miami.

 The ribbon-cutting is also taking place during a two-day national meeting of the Buffett Early Childhood Foundation.  Forty United Way professionals from five states are attending the meeting focused on engaging business leaders in elevating the quality of early education.

 “The opening of the Resource Library and Training Center is an important step in our journey to elevate the quality of early education not only in South Florida, but across the country,” Harve Mogul, president and CEO, United Way of Miami-Dade, said.  “By providing adult learners with the training and information they need to promote high quality early learning, we help ensure all children are ready and eager to learn when they start kindergarten.  We are so grateful to the generous contributions of the Soffer Family and United Way’s Women’s Leadership for bringing these two libraries to life.”

  The Resource Library and Training Center is housed on the second floor of the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education, opened one year ago.   The only one of its kind in the country, the Center is a place for parents, educators, researchers, business leaders and others, to study and learn about high-quality early education.  In addition to the Center’s research, training and business component, the facility also houses a Demonstration School for 140 children ages six weeks to five years old.

 The children’s library is located within the Demonstration School on the first floor of the facility.  Underwritten by United Way’s Women’s Leadership, the children’s library is stocked full of story books and other educational materials geared towards children, ages six weeks to five years.  In addition to being a lending library for parents and students of the Demonstration School, the children’s library is also a place for storytelling and other reading-related activities during the school day.