Reading Room
[ Please fill out the form below or visit the Contact Us Page if you are interested in volunteering ]

Anyone wishing to donate children's books may drop them off during the Reading Room or contact Norma Francullo at forestnyc@comcast.net

C.H.I.L.D. runs the outdoor reading room in Verona Park’s Eden Wild Children’s Garden during the months of May through October.

In May and June, hours are Friday, 10AM to 12PM and Saturday and Sunday, 1PM to 3PM.
In July and August, hours are Wednesday evenings for story time and reading room time.
In September and October, hours are Friday, 9AM to 11AM and Saturday and Sunday, 1PM to 3PM.

In 2007, C.H.I.L.D. and The Verona Park Conservancy partnered to create an open air library right in Verona Park’s Eden Wild Children’s Garden with a grant from NJ Reads, Inc. C.H.I.L.D. also developed the “Let’s Get Reading” program which focuses on improving literacy awareness by providing free author visits and parent workshops which educate parents about early identification of reading disabilities. Our book collection contains over 500 books for K-5 readers. The collection also contains books on tape and CD. We have popular chapter book series and books on nature, science, art history and New Jersey history.

During its first year, C.H.I.L.D., Inc. brought in, with the assistance of Montclair’s Watchung Booksellers, noted authors such as Dan Gutman, Emily Jenkins, and renowned comic book author and illustrator Jim Shooter which all drew large crowds after school.  In addition to the author visits, several guest speakers were invited for the parent workshops which focused on improving literacy awareness.
 
The Eden Wild Outdoor Reading Room was modeled after Bryant Park’s reading room in New York City. In fact Verona residents and Essex County should take pride in knowing that we are part of history.  Outdoor reading rooms are not a new idea according to a book entitled, “Libraries to the People:  Histories of Outreach” by Robert Freeman.  The first outdoor reading room in the United States was created in 1932 on Boston Commons.  New York City adopted this idea in 1935 in Bryant Park and continues to do so today.  Open aired reading rooms were organized in the US to bring library services to groups that did not have access to them and to lift the spirits during the depression era.  Eden Wild Reading Room continues the tradition of creating an innovative place for young readers.

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