Little Buddies are children in K-3rd grade. They apply to participate in the program and will be assigned a Big Buddy once accepted.

Big Buddies are 13-18 years old. They serve as mentors to Little Buddies, helping them with listening and reading activities. This is not a tutoring role, but rather a mentorship role focused on encouraging literacy skills.

Big Buddies need to:

• Submit an application, similar to applying for a job.
• Include 3 recommendation letters with their application.
• Complete a brief training session on listening and reading strategies.

Yes! Parents MUST stay with their Little Buddies during the sessions to help supervise and support the activities.

The program lasts for 3 months.

Sessions are held bi-weekly with two sessions per month:

• Thursdays: 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
• Saturdays: 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Big Buddies: Each session is 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Little Buddies: Each Little Buddy has 30 minutes of reading time.

There will be a 15-minute transition period between Little Buddy sessions.

Big Buddies choose books for their sessions from a selection of appropriate books curated by library staff. These books will be available on a cart before each session. If there is a week with no scheduled session, literacy games will be made available for families to participate in.

• Absences: Please give at least 2 days’ notice if you need to miss a session.
• Late Policy: If a buddy is more than 5 minutes late, they will be reassigned to a new buddy.
• Missed Sessions: If a participant misses more than 3 sessions without a reasonable excuse, they will be removed from the program and must reapply for the next 3-month session.

If either the Big Buddy or Little Buddy cannot attend a session, please provide ample notice, preferably 2 days in advance. If a buddy misses more than 3 sessions in total, they may be removed from the program.

To apply, simply fill out an application form. Big Buddies will need to submit 3 recommendation letters, and Little Buddies will need their parents to submit an application as well.