Monday, January 20, 2014

Huntington Beach Library - Family Literacy - For library duo, work is not about books


For library duo, work is not about books
Orange County Register: 1.09.2014 by Annie Zak

When Amy Crepeau started working at the Oak View branch of the Huntington Beach Public Library, she didn't even speak the same language as most of the residents in the neighborhood.

As she began learning Spanish, library patrons sometimes would laugh with her about her mistakes, but then they would correct her, eventually helping lead Crepeau to fluency.

Crepeau's experience in learning another language mirrors how she helps residents in the Oak View neighborhood learn English through her position as coordinator of the Family Literacy Program.

She and the library's branch manager, Claudia Locke, have been working together at the Oak View library for nearly 20 years. As a result, the library has become not just a place for checking out books, but the center of the Oak View community.

The two women, along with a fleet of volunteers, help teach English to adults and families, coordinate community events at the library and host reading programs and homework clubs, among other things.  READ MORE !

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