Sesame Street Does Its Research

Mayor Bloomberg meets new Muppet Bloomberg when the furry one presented the live one with an award at a recent anniversary gala.

Most of you know the children's show Sesame Street, with its counting muppets and furry friends. Some of you might be aware that the show just celebrated its 40th anniversary. But I bet that few of you realize how much this non-profit spends to prove its worth and to stay on the air.

According to an article in the June 1 issue of Newsweek, the show's producer, Sesame Workshop (formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop), plans to spend $770,000 this year on its department of education and research. This is how it proves how valuable the show's education is to children. The Workshop does research to prove how its show raises early-childhood knowledge and test scores. So, even tho its TV ratings aren't high today (compared to so many other children's shows), it can confidently say that it has an amazing positive impact on early childhood education and literacy. Doesn't this sound like something that libraries should be a part of?

You can learn more about Sesame Workshop's initiatives and funding partners on its website. Some librarianas might look to Sesame Workshop for meaningful partnership opportunities.