California Literacy Calendar: January 2010

California Literacy Calendar: January 2010

SCLLN Literacy & Library Events & Conferences
-local, California and National Conferences-
visit

Southern California Library Literacy Network
for more information

Tutor Training Workshops scrolling in left frame

Southern California Literacy Events
Jan 4: Tutor Training for Volunteer Based Literacy - OnLine
Jan 9: Learning Disabilities Adult Support Group Providence Tarzana Medical @ 10am
Jan 16: Tutor Training-Whittier Literacy Council @ 9am
Jan 18: Reading Comprehension Strategies – OnLine
Jan 20: LD from A-Z Mission Valley Library-SD @ 5pm
Jan 21: SCLLN + ProLiteracy Symposium, Cypress Branch Library @ 1-4pm
with David Harvey, President and CEO & Peter Waite, VP-ProLiteracy Worldwide
Jan 26: Learning Disabilities Parent Support Group @ The Help Group @ 7:30pm

California Literacy Events
Jan 11: S Krashen-Effective 2nd Language Acquisition, Sacramento
Jan 13: S Krashen-Effective 2nd Language Acquisition, South San Francisco
Jan 15-17: CA Kindergarten Conf, Santa Clara

San Diego County Library - Making a Difference in My Life

Making a Difference in My Life
LEARN Alive: Dec 2009/Jan 2010

My name is Esteban Ramirez, and I have been taking a Wilson Reading System class for the last 11 months. I am 29 years old, and I have dyslexia.

When I went to school, I didn’t want to read and write because the kids would make fun of me. So instead I became the big bad man at school, but it didn’t help me because all it did was make me feel bad about myself. I was feeling dumb that I was not like all the rest of the kids in my class so I missed a lot of school, and then I just stopped going.

Now I am 29 years old, and I want to make a difference in my life today by improving my reading and writing so I started to take a class with Hector with the Vista Library’s Adult Literacy Program. This is one of the best things that I have done for myself because I did not like to read before. But now because of Hector teaching me how to sound out words and break them up, I can spell and not be afraid to do this and I have more confidence.

I started the reading program in February on level 2 of the Wilson Reading System and now I am on level 7, and the whole time it has made me like to read and understand what I am reading by learning about open syllables and closed syllables, base words and suffixes.

All this I didn’t know how to break down but today I can do it. All this I didn’t learn in school but with Hector’s help I started to learn about long vowels and short vowels, which was all new to me.

And all I can do now is grow from here in my reading and writing. I think joining this program has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.

Current Learner—Esteban Ramirez

Orange Co Library - Bill Campbell's Third District Report - READ Orange County

Bill Campbell's Third District Report
November 20, 2009 Volume: 7 Issue: 43

OC Public Library Honors Orange Volunteer- OC Community Resources Director Steve Franks presented a proclamation to celebrate the 100th birthday of Antonio Correa, a resident of Orange and an OC Public Libraries volunteer.

Since joining the READ/Orange County volunteers program in April of 1996 at the age 87, Antonio "Tone" Correa has contributed more than 2,700 service hours. He has tutored more than 21 adult learners, often taking on the added responsibility of working with 3 or 4 students simultaneously. To read more about Tone’s contributions, please click here. For pictures, click here.

Los Angeles Public Library - Building a More Literate L.A

Los Angeles Public Library
Library Foundation of Los Angeles
Annual Report 2008=2009


Building a More Literate L.A

Literacy not only is one of the library's core missions, but it's also a part of everything we do. Each year, the library presents nearly 18,000 public programs at our 73 libraries and literacy is a component of every one. Today, the library's literacy mission is more important than ever because 40 percent of fourth graders read below their grade level and more than 50 percent of the Los Angeles area's working-age population suffers from low literacy skills.

The library has also made a major commitment to adult literacy. This year, the library opened a new Adult Literacy Center in the Benjamin Franklin Branch. With the help of library foundation funding, the library now operates Adult Literacy Centers in 20 branches citywide. These centers offer one-on-one literacy tutoring, self-tutoring materials, and Web-based literacy programs accessed through our literacy Web site.

Illiteracy remains one of the most economically and socially crippling problems facing Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Public Library is committed to creating a more literate Los Angeles.

Investing in New Readers

Good reading habits are key to a lifetime of learning. That's why the library, with the help of library foundation funding, instills a love of reading in children through early literacy programs like Read to Me L.A. and nurtures that love of reading throughout their childhood with programs like the intergenerational GAB (Grandparents and Books) series and other programs that make reading fun.

But the library doesn't stop there. It offers children the tools they need to succeed in school, such as free online Live Homework Help, the summer reading club to build literacy skills between school terms, a special Kids' Path Web site with online resources just for youngsters, and even a summer reading camp for homeless children, Camp LAPL, and the popular Performing Books programs that introduce kids to books through music, song and dance.

These and the library's many other resources are available when kids need them most, after school and during school-term breaks. Our commitment to technology allows us to deliver many of the learning resources to children through their computer at home or school. READ MORE !

America’s Most Literate Cities: 2009

America’s Most Literate Cities: 2009
Central Connecticut State University: December 22, 2009

Drawing from a variety of available data resources, the America’s Most Literate Cities study ranks the largest cities (population 250,000 and above) in the United States. This study focuses on six key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.

Dr. John W. Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University, is the author of this study. Research for this edition of AMLC was conducted in collaboration with the Center for Public Policy and Social Research at CCSU. Overall Ranking and Rankings by Category.

Seattle is ranked the most literate city.
San Francisco is the highest ranked CA city @ 12.

California cities dominate the Bottom 20.
56 San Jose, CA
58 Riverside, CA
62 Los Angeles, CA
63 Long Beach, CA
65 Fresno, CA
66 Glendale, AZ
67 Santa Ana, CA
68 Mesa, AZ
69 Anaheim, CA
70 Arlington, TX
71 Aurora, CO
72 Stockton, CA
73 Bakersfield, CA
74 Corpus Christi, TX
75 El Paso, TX

Literacy in Libraries Around California - Project Read Learners Give Back to Community

Project Read Learners Give Back to Community
Almanac News: December 22, 2009 by Alice Bradshaw - Program Manager, Project Read-Menlo Park

Many adult learners at Project Read-Menlo Park, the adult literacy program in the Menlo Park Library, have gone far beyond studying English. They've become active members of the community.

For 25 years, Project Read has provided the only free adult literacy tutoring in the area, helping more than 3,000 adults.

After a 10-hour work day, would you study an additional three hours? Would you drive to Santa Clara from Menlo Park every month to practice public speaking in a language that is foreign to you? Would you give up two-days' pay, travel to a conference and present a workshop illustrating how low-level literacy students can improve their lives and give back to their communities? Project Read learners have done all of these.

Raul Gonzalez, became a Project Read tutor one year after he began as a learner. He attended the Adult Learner Leadership Institute (ALLI), which trains and motivates students to improve their public speaking skills and promotes civic engagement.

To date, 10 of Project Read's learners have graduated from Adult Learner Leadership Institute.

In October, at the California Library Association's annual conference in Pasadena, he was one of five students who presented a workshop on how adult learners can give back to their communities.

At Project Read, our volunteer tutors helped their adult learners do many things, such as reading to their children, getting a better job, or learning to surf the Web. Then, the students gave back in ways we never imagined! READ MORE !

SCLLN: 2009 Year End Tax Tips

2009 Year End Tax Tips

Make a Year End Gift and Support

Sourthern California Library Literacy Network

Your contribution to SCLLN gives the gift of reading and writing to adult learners in library literacy programs from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Consider what your donation can support:

Literacy Leader:
a monthly gift of $25 or more strengthens library literacy services
Literacy Champion:
an annual gift of $500 or more promotes literacy and life-long learning

$100 Families For Literacy Patron: programming services training advocacy
$250 Annual Conference Patron: a forum for learners, tutors and professionals
$750 Library Program Patron: a 50/50 split with a library member of choice
$1000 Media & Internet Patron: share our story, expertise and resources

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities: We welcome donations from companies and other organizations. Make a direct investment to Adult and Family Literacy !

Commemorative, Memorial and Holiday Gifts: honoring a loved one with a memorial gift is a very special way to support literacy and SCLLN.

Donate  by Mail:
Please send checks or money orders (made payable to SCLLN) to:

SCLLN
c/o Literacy Office

Huntington Beach Central Library

7111 Talbert Ave

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Your tax-deductible gift will help SCLLN raise awareness about the importance of literacy. Your donation supports library literacy providers, our annual Tutor-Learner Conference, and our webpage. SCLLN is a 501c (3) Non-Profit.

SCLLN serves a population of 22.4 million including 6 million children.

Jobs for Main Street Act = ACTION ALERT

ALA Action Alert

Out of Work Librarians Need Your Help !

Call NOW to Include Libraries in the Jobs for Main Street Act !

Right now, the House of Representatives is debating the Jobs for Main Street Act, and this bill would provide funding to a variety of programs aimed at creating jobs. No other organization is as dynamic or as well-equipped to build jobs as libraries, yet neither the House nor the Senate version of this legislation mentions libraries. By including specific bill language that includes librarians, we can continue to help people look for jobs, help people obtain their GED, build valuable job skills, and much more. To read the full proposal, please click here.

The House is expected to vote on this legislation TODAY. Please call your representatives TODAY and your senators tomorrow; tell them you would like to see librarians included in the Jobs for Main Street Act and explain to them that those funds are critical in putting librarians back to work so they can help people get back to work.

1. Libraries play a key role in getting America back to work again. Nationwide, the library is the only source of no-fee Internet access for 71 percent of Americans. With more and more job applications only being accepted online, the public library is becoming the center of most American's job searches.

2. State Library Agencies reported in November 2009 that 77 percent of states cut funds that support local public libraries, which has meant layoffs, staff furloughs, and forced retirements. This has caused a 75 percent cut in services to the public including canceled statewide databases used for job searching, homework help, and cuts in 24/7 reference, which are used by small businesses and students.

Not Sure Who to Contact = Click Here !
Find elected officials, including the president, members of Congress, governors, state legislators, and more.

Tween Tribune News For Kids & News By Kids

Tween Tribune
News For Kids & News By Kids

A daily news site for tweens. Each day links to the day's most compelling news from a tweens perspective are posted. Stories chosen for TweenTribune are selected by tweens working closely with professional journalists. Tweens can submit links to stories they'd like to share, submit their own stories and photos, and comment on the stories they read.

It encourages tweens to seek out news on a daily basis. Fosters a daily news-reading habit at an early age.

There are also pages for Teachers that can be customized for the classroom as well as Lesson plans.

2 Recent Posts:

Oops! Tween's cell bill = $21,917

A 13-year-old was probably in hot water with his father after running up a cell phone bill of nearly $22,000. Ted Estarija said he was expecting his bill to be higher this month after adding his son to his plan, but wasn't expecting a bill of $21,917 in data usage charges. The Hayward, Calif.- Posted on December 16, 2009 Read more

13 comments
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OMG! Kids send 2,000 txts per month R u kidding me?

Americans punched out more than 110 billion text messages last year, double the number in the previous year and growing, as the shorthand communication becomes a popular alternative to cell phone calls. "If teens are a leader for America, then we are moving to a text-based ...

- Posted on December 15, 2009

Related stories
Does your teacher let you txt in class?
Young people finally flock to Twitter
Maybe txting isn't so bad after allHow fast R U?
Girl wins US texting title
Read more

24 comments
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Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy 2009 - Derek Wolfgram, Butte County

California Library Association: Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy: 2009

Derek Wolfgram was recognized as this year’s winner of the Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy.

The following comments are excerpts from his nomination:

Derek Wolfgram goes WAY above and beyond to support literacy! While not familiar with Literacy Services in the Library before becoming our Director (Butte County), he got up to speed quickly and became one of our best-ever advocates! From voting on t-shirt graphics, to starring in a zany radio spot, to respectfully presenting our Champion of Literacy award to our adult learner honoree, no doubt about it, in so many ways he was ‘there’ for us.

While always an enthusiastic spirit in support of Literacy, Derek’s support isn’t just all fun and games – rather it is also forward- thinking, inclusive and strategic. He was sure to include the Literacy Services team when doing his system needs assessment and when he instituted the Leadership Team of managers, the Literacy Specialist was solidly at the table. Extremely supportive of our efforts to secure grants, he’s proven to be a key team member, offering his valuable visionary and editing skills.

Perhaps most illustrative overall is recalling last January when Derek accompanied two adult learners and a volunteer tutor to visit one of our legislators. Derek stepped back and encouraged the focus be directed on the learners. Surely the necessary messages about concerns for the library were heard that day, but with Derek’s compassionate and elegant presence, what the legislator will remember when thinking of the Library are the voices from two adults who have so benefited from Literacy Services.

Butte County: 2006 - May 2009

Adult Learner Leadership Institute - ALLI

Adult Learner Leadership Institute

January 23, 2010 - June 2010

Application Deadline: December 17, 2009

Dear Learner:

Are you having trouble talking to the teachers at your child’s school ?
Do you want to learn how to speak out in meetings ?
Do you want to be a better advocate for yourself and others in the community ?

Then the Adult Learner Leadership Institute is for you !
You must be an Adult Learner in a Southern California Library Literacy program.

In the Adult Learner Leadership Institute you will learn how to improve your communication and leadership skills. These skills will help you in your family life, at work, and in your community. We are pleased to offer the Institute at the Carlsbad City Library Learning Center.

ALLI, formerly known as the Henry Huffman Leadership Institute is a six-month leadership development program for advanced learners. ALLI students build self-esteem while acquiring public speaking skills, research techniques, and learning styles.

The training is spread over 6 sessions, with classes meeting one Saturday a month and is led, presented and facilitated by adult learners. It is a dynamic training program designed for by adult learners to improve/build self-esteem, leadership, communication, advocacy and presentation skills through practical exercises. So please, take advantage of this great training opportunity for your adult learners !

It is FREE and will include breakfast, lunch and training materials.

Applicant letter and form are available @ the Carlsbad City Library Learning Center.
Please call: 760 . 931 . 4515
or email: Carrie Scott
Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
3368 Eureka Place – Carlsbad

2010 SCLLN Tutor Conference: Call 4 Presenters

Southern California Library Literacy Network
Annual Tutor Conference = February 27, 2010

Holiday Inn - Buena Park

Call 4 Presenters

If you would like to present a workshop, or if you know a volunteer or a community member who would make a great presenter, please contact SCLLN as soon as possible.

SCLLN has 21 slots to fill = Deadline: December 15 !
There are 3 Strands of Workshop sessions @ 75 minutes.
9:00am – 10:15am . . . 10:30am – 11:45am . . . 1:45pm – 3:00pm

And if anyone from Central or Northern California wants to join the fun, let's talk.

The conference is for tutors, learners, and literacy staff, and often times there's a mix in the workshop audience. SCLLN does have a "Learner Strand", and we love workshops that encourage participation from tutor-learner pairs, but there are also classes geared specifically to tutors.

Sorry, there's no stipend available this year, but presenters earn free admission to the conference and our undying gratitude. Yeah, it's the best we can do in a sour economy . . . .

Anyway, time's fleeting, so please contact me if you're interested.

Lookin' forward to the flood of applications in my inbox in the next few days.

Rod Williams = Literacy Coor.
Palmdale City Library
661 . 267 . 5682

. . . check out the workshops from the 2009 Conference !

Colton Library - Colton Libraries Reopen with Six-Day Schedule

Colton Libraries Reopen with Six-Day Schedule
SB Sun: December 1, 2009 by Michael J Sorba

Library service is back in Colton.

The Main Library, 656 N. Ninth St., reopened Tuesday. Starting today, it will operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Service has also been restored at the Luque Branch Library, 294 E O St. It will reopen Thursday and then operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new schedules at both libraries will remain until June 30.

Pete Carrasco, chairman of the Colton Public Library Board of Trustees, said he's glad the city responded to the public's request to restore the libraries.

The libraries and homework assistance center that was housed at the Carnegie building were closed in November as cost-cutting measures to offset a projected $5 million deficit for the fiscal year.

At the ensuing City Council meeting about two-dozen people spoke against the decision and asked that some level of library service be restored.

The homework assistance center and an adult literacy program that was offered haven't been restored, but the city is working to get those programs back online, said Interim Deputy City Manager Bill Smith.

Schedules are effective immediately and will remain until June 30. READ MORE !

Palmdale Library - Writer To Writer Awards 2009

2009 Writer-to-Writer Awards

This year 188 adult learners entered the Challenge from 43 library literacy programs all over California. Their letters, based on their writing skill levels, were divided into four categories: Emerging, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. [see earlier Post for more information !]

The letters of the winners will appear as a Four-part Series by the Literacy Interest Group E-newsletter, continuing part two with this E-newsletter with a letter from Intermediate winner Larry Evans:

Larry Evans
Palmdale City Library

Dear Mr. Poitier:

My name is Larry Evans and it was at the age of fifty-one that I learned how to read. Your book was the first book I ever read from cover to cover. Thank you for the inspiration I received from reading The Measure of a Man. My comments will start with you growing up in the Bahamas. Being blessed with weather so warm and beautiful all year round to enjoy - what a life! That lifestyle would only be a dream for me. The closest thing I had to living on an island was an old television show called Gilligan's Island.

My hometown was somewhat like yours; we also carried water to drink and had to use an outhouse. It is easy for a country boy like me to relate to your life style as a boy. As I read your book about how you faced racism at a very young age, it made me think that racism is maybe part of the reason why it took me fifty-one years to read the English Language. READ MORE !