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 Tarrytown, NY – April 30 is El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day, or Día), an annual celebration of children, families, and reading.
Honoring diversity is at the heart of Día – and with Westchester families representing over 50 different countries and speaking over a dozen different languages (including English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, Hindi, and several Chinese dialects), there is a lot to celebrate.
Libraries around the county will be having special displays, along with food, music, crafts, games during the months of April and May. Upcoming events range from a pajama story time with bilingual songs at the Croton Library to all day events in Mamaroneck and Yonkers. Teens in Dobbs Ferry will share cultural folk tales with children while enjoying refreshments from local ethnic restaurants. The Hastings Library welcomes Bradley, a certified reading therapy dog, for story time. Yonkers’ Riverfront Library will host a bilingual gardening workshop and White Plains has a Global Reader’s Fair scheduled with activities from around the world.
The Westchester Library System (WLS) provided grants to libraries in Bronxville, Croton, Dobbs Ferry, Harrison, Hasting, Mamaroneck, Montrose, Mt. Kisco, Mt. Vernon, Ossining, Port Chester, Tarrytown, and White Plains to promote partnerships with community organizations and to expand the reach of Día throughout each community. Check out the WLS website, www.westchesterlibraries.org, or call your local library for a complete calendar of events.
“The Día literacy initiative began in 1996 as an effort to link all children to books,” says Siobhan A. Reardon, Director, Westchester Library System. “WLS is proud to help support Día with grants that enable our member libraries to bring this celebration to their patrons. We also thank Jane Marino, director of the Bronxville Public Library and ALSC president, for encouraging Día celebrations in the Westchester Library System.”
“Día is a wonderful occasion to bring together children, books, and community,” says Judith Rovenger, Director of Youth Services, Westchester Library System. “It gives us the opportunity to share the stories from so many different cultures that make up our county. These stories confirm how alike we all are at heart, and that is something worth celebrating.”
For additional information, please contact Judith Rovenger, Director of Youth Services, at (914) 231-3236 or
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About the Westchester Library System
The Westchester Library System (WLS) includes 38 member public libraries located throughout the County and is one of New York State's 23 public library systems. The WLS Adult and Outreach Services Department offers improved access to library services for all residents, training and development of library personnel, services to disadvantaged youth, and the fee-based WEBS Career and Educational Counseling service. WLS will commemorate its 50th year beginning November 2008 with a series of kick-off events leading up to the 50th anniversary celebration.
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