The Library Foundation raises funds for the Los Angeles Public Library's award winning, citywide, inter-generational reading enrichment program – Grandparents and Books.

Adult volunteers are trained to read aloud and perform book-centered activities with children at the library after school and on weekends. All volunteers in the Grandparents and Books program are asked to make a six-month commitment and to read at their local library with children at least two hours per week. Any adult who loves to read to children can participate after a background check and training.

Volunteer for GAB

In 2009, GAB celebrated its 20th anniversary. Since its founding, GAB staff has trained thousands of volunteers who have read to nearly 700,000 children. Among the program's many hallmarks is the incorporation of Dialogic Reading methods, which are known to increase literacy and comprehension skills through discussions and by asking open-ended questions during a reading. Other techniques include narrative and choral reading; repetition, and multi-sensory. The Library's GAB program is recognized nationally as one of the few public library programs in the country using this widely lauded technique.

Donor funds support training workshops and also make it possible for the Library to purchase new books each year selected especially for this program. Some replace worn-out favorites, while others are new titles that are well suited to reading aloud. Traditionally, children's books receive the most wear-and-tear and need to be replaced frequently.

Thanks to the generosity of the The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation, Dan Murphy Foundation, Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation, The Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation, and William H. Hannon Foundation for their support of Grandparent and Books.

To learn more about funding opportunities for Grandparents and Books, please contact Dawn Coppin, Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations, at (213) 228-7502.

Support for the Library Foundation of Los Angeles is support for the Los Angeles Public Library. Every dollar counts. Your gift to the Library Foundation helps the Los Angeles Public Library grow stronger.