Memoral Joins In to Launch Grassroots Literacy Program - Born to Read - at Primary Care Center
April 2003 — The ingredients are free books, a dedicated librarian and loving parents. The location is the Memorial Primary Care Center in Hollywood. The result is Born to Read, an American Library Association initiative to get infants and children hooked on reading.
Memorial Regional Hospital is among many community groups and resources sponsoring the project locally.
Born to Read's full-time librarian is available at the Primary Care Center, at 4105 Pembroke Road, to help children find appropriate books to read while waiting to see the doctor. The location also serves as a resource center for the community, offering the opportunity to sign up for library cards, check out and return books, and join a database to notify families of upcoming literacy events throughout South Broward.
"Research shows that early childhood provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put children in the right track to success in school and in life," says Hollywood Commissioner Beam Furr. "The goal of the project was to create a model for librarians and healthcare providers to work together in reaching out to parents and helping them raise children who are ready to read before entering school."
"Having this program offered through Memorial goes with our commitment to better our community," says Shirley Blythe, Administrative Director of Community Health Services. "Raising children with healthy minds and bodies is one of the main goals of this program, and we support this initiative."
Born to Read is sponsored by Memorial Regional Hospital, the City of Hollywood, the Rotary Club of Hollywood, the Broward County Health Department and the Broward County Library. It complements the Governor Jeb Bush's "Just Read, Florida!" program, which provides reading information to mothers of babies born in hospitals statewide, including Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Hospital West.