A family party is being held at the Cochrane Public Library this Saturday (Jan. 20) afternoon to celebrate Family Literacy Day and officially announce the extra mobility being offered, courtesy of Cochrane Toyota.

Library director Monique Fielder-Sills says it all kicks off at 1 p.m. by revealing the 2024 Rav4 Prime with representatives of Cochrane Toyota.

"We're going to have a puppet show, fun crafts for the whole family and cake," says Fielder-Sills. "The theme is 'Let's have a Family Party' and we're also excited to celebrate and announce our partnership with Cochrane Toyota, who has gifted us a 2024 Rav4 Prime for this year."

The library director says it's important to introduce children to the pleasure of reading at a young age.

"That is the number one way to get kids hooked on reading. More than ever, literacy is very key to future success, so we really want to encourage families to be reading with their children, making those family events, making that an enjoyable time for kids so that we can help create future readers in our community."

Besides fostering literacy, it will be a celebration of how the library staff goes beyond their walls to encourage people to engage with literacy activities. The new vehicle will aid in transporting programming, materials and books to residents.

The library’s 2024-2026 Plan of Service is committed to meeting the needs of the community and increasing offsite programming, particularly for youth and seniors. Along with providing a creative temporary solution to the library’s undersized facility, outreach programming is essential to help reduce social isolation. Library outreach ensures that families encountering barriers to accessing the library can still receive vital services, collections, and programs, while also increasing community inclusiveness and connectivity.