LOCAL LAUNDROMATS AND LITERACY. A trio of Dunn County organizations recently announced the launch of a kids-friendly book drive in order to stock book bins at Dunn County's four laundromats. Folks are encouraged to "adopt" a book or two from the bins, to continue reading at home.  (Photo via Early Literacy Coalition of the Greater Chippewa Valley website)

Got books? The Dunn County Play Group, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division Extension of Dunn County and local libraries are partnering on a book drive with hopes to stock the area’s laundromats with kid-friendly reads.

While not a new concept, the little library-like effort – which will benefit Dunn County’s four laundromats – is a new initiative between the partnering orgs.

Luisa Gerasimo, the division extension’s human development and relationships educator, has offered educational parenting programs at the Dunn County Play Group for years. Rochelle Kroening, the play group’s organizer, told Gerasimo her idea to distribute children’s books to local laundromats – and the ball started rolling.

The Dunn County Play group is a free program for those with littles ages starting at birth to three years old. That also happens to be the 'magic window' for early learning, Gerasimo said.

"Laundromats are places where families sit for hours each month. ... In a world that has constant interruptions and competition for attention – this seems like a special opportunity."

LUISA GERASIMO

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATOR, UW-MADISON EXTENSION DIVISION - DUNN COUNTY

“One of the single best things adults can do for children is to read aloud to them. Nothing compares with the human face and voice – a tablet or screen does not take the place of a carding adult,” Gerasimo said.

“We literally have a magic window (from) birth to about three years old where the brain is like a sponge,” Gerasimo continued. “Children cannot learn to speak without the people around them.”

As more kids in Wisconsin enter school with speech delays, the importance of early reading continues to grow – and screens aren’t necessarily helping, Gerasimo added.

A similar initiative – providing children's books in area laundromats – was also implemented in Eau Claire several years ago thanks to Yia Lor, a former UW-Madison Division Extension-Eau Claire staffer, Gerasimo noted. (If Lor's name is familiar, it may be due to her various published pieces through the likes of Wisconsin Public Radio and Volume One. Photo via Unsplash.)

The resource was already a tried initiative in the area thanks to similar book bin setups through the Menomonie Public Library and another Gerasimo previously organized at the Dunn County Government Center (3001 US Hwy 12E, Menomonie).

Through those initiatives, it seemed likely book bins would be successful in other places too, Gerasimo said. The books, while stocked at local laundromats, can also be “adopted” to continue the reading journey at home.

“Laundromats are places where families sit for hours each month. Kids get bored. Parents have to find ways to entertain them while they wait for laundry,” she noted. “In a world that has constant interruptions and competition for attention – this seems like a special opportunity.”

Kids board books – “the hard-paged, chunky books appropriate for babies and toddlers,” Gerasimo said – are very popular and tend to go fast. Any new or gently-used children’s books can be donated toward the book drive.

Book drop offs can be dropped off at the Extension Office in the government center during open hours, typically from 8am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday.

Dunn County's four laundromats that, with donations, will be stocked with book bins:

• Outback Laundry Shack (already has one book bin; 1021 Broadway St. S., Menomonie)
• Colfax Laundromat (409 River St., Colfax)
• Around the Clock Laundry (1319 N. Broadway St., Menomonie)
• Laundry Express (1132 N. Broadway St., Menomonie)

“Our local families have never been more stressed. Housing and childcare shortages … we have increased fuel and food costs, ” Gerasimo said. “Parents are juggling way too much, and many never access parenting support or education.

“I have great resources at hand, but how do I reach families who are working multiple jobs, may be housing insecure and have childcare woes?”

Perhaps one way, with community support, is through literacy efforts at local laundromats.

Child-friendly book donations can be made at the Extension Office, suite 216, at the Dunn County Government Center (3001 US Hwy 12E, Menomonie) during open hours • Inquiries related to the book drive for local laundromats can be emailed to luisa.gerasimo@wisc.edu • Learn more about early literacy through the UW-Madison Extension Division of Dunn County online