WSIU Brings Cat in the Hat to 75th Anniversary of Du Quoin Library

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Parents are invited to bring their kids and join WSIU Public Broadcasting, a public media arm of Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), at the Du Quoin Public Library tomorrow, Saturday, March 27, beginning at 10am, for a special celebration of the library's 75th Anniversary and "Cat in the Hat Day."

Kids will enjoy games, songs, and a special appearance by The Cat in the Hat. WSIU will distribute Dr. Seuss books and other educational materials, and will introduce a PBS KIDS Library Corner to the library, which includes PBS KIDS banners and dedicated shelving units, as well as PBS KIDS program-related books, activity guides, and DVDs.

Children also will be able to use computers and headphones to visit the online destination PBS KIDS Island at readytolearnreading.org, where they can play games designed to help them master literacy skills. The Web site measures and tracks each child's progress and provides reports to parents and caregivers.

WSIU's PBS KIDS Library Corner is part of the national Raising Readers initiative, a multi-year, grant-funded initiative that aims to help children, ages 2-8, to strengthen their reading and literacy skills. WSIU is a participating station in Raising Readers. Plans are underway to expand the PBS KIDS Library Corner to more libraries across the region. Contact Beth Spezia at (618) 453-5595 or beth.spezia@wsiu.org to learn more.