Rancho Cucamonga Library :: Library Tutors Help Create Young Readers

Library Tutors Help Create Young Readers In Rancho Cucamonga

Daily Bulletin: 5.07.2019 by David Allen

When the Alazouny family arrived in Rancho Cucamonga from Egypt, Lojin and her brother didn’t know any English.

Twice a week, the two go to the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library after school for reading help. They get personal attention from volunteer tutors who work with only three children each.

“They started from scratch. Kids are like sponges. They’re doing great,” said their father, Islam Alazouny, as he picked them up from the library last Thursday. “There’s a huge difference. Now they are listening, and speaking, writing and reading.”

Good for them. Lojin didn’t do much speaking with me, but then, I’m not good at interviewing children. She did look at me seriously through her glasses and tell me she’s 9 and attends John L. Golden Elementary.

This is Back 2 Basics, a free tutoring program at the Archibald and Biane libraries. Geared toward children a grade level behind in reading, it helps children in grades two to five with their reading, writing and comprehension skills.

Rancho Cucamonga Library - StoryCorps 2013 Medal Winner

IMLS and StoryCorps

2013 Medal Winners - Listen Online

StoryCorps is making their visits to the 2013 medal-winning institutions in early 2014. Check back to hear additional stories as they are made available.

Rancho Cucamonga Public Library

"You become an expert on deception..."

Jerry Piazza (L), a 64-year-old student in the adult literacy program at the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, talks to Allen Callaci (R), the literacy librarian, about navigating life without the ability to read. They talk about his decision to go to tutoring and publicly reveal his struggle.

Length: 2:28. Read transcript (PDF)

StoryCorps’ mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, preserve, and share their stories. StoryCorps is currently one of the fastest-growing nonprofits in the country. Each week, millions of Americans listen to StoryCorps’ award-winning broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. Fifty of StoryCorps’ most emblematic stories have been collected in the New York Times bestseller, Listening Is an Act of Love (Penguin Press). A follow-up book, Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps (Penguin Press), published in Spring 2010, features inspiring stories by and about mothers.

StoryCorps San Francisco

StoryCorps is pleased to partner with the San Francisco Public Library, Airbnb, KALW and KQED to record, preserve, and share the stories of the Bay Area. Visit StoryCorps in San Francisco.

SCLLN 2013 Writer to Writer Challenge Awards: March 8

Southern California Library Literacy Network - SCLLN

Writer to Writer Challenge - 2013

The Southern California Library Literacy Network is excited to announce the winners and runners-up for the 2013 Writer to Writer Challenge! We received a large response—45 entries—and the quality of the letters was amazing! We are so proud of all of the learners who wrote letters. We are grateful to the coordinators and learner judging panels at Huntington Beach Public Library, National City Public Library, Newport Beach Central Public Library, and Carlsbad City Library for donating their time to judge the letters.

Please join us at the Southern California Library Literacy Network Literacy Conference at the Holiday Inn, Buena Park, on Saturday, March 8, where the winners will be recognized during the lunch program. The winners and runners-up will each receive a cash prize and a certificate, and may attend the conference at our expense but they must pre-register.  All letter writers will receive a certificate of participation.

Congratulations to everyone who entered the 2013 Writer to Writer Challenge!

Emerging Category

Winner

Celso L, Carlsbad City Library

“Heaven is for Real,” by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

Runners-Up

Robert P, Carlsbad City Library, “Harvests of Joy,” by Robert Mondavi

Stephanie R, Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, “Sable,” by Karen Hesse

Beginning Category

Winner

Maribel G, Huntington Beach Public Library

“The Three Little Pigs,” by Mercé Escardó

Runners-Up

Amatul M, Beaumont Public Library, “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” by Khaled Hosseini

Marnalee L, Newport Beach Public Library, “Beautiful Boy,” by David Sheff

Intermediate Category

Winner

Alejandrina R, Carlsbad City Library

“The Lemon Orchard,” by Luanne Rice

Runners-Up

Dominique C, Carlsbad City Library, “It’s Your Time,” by Joel Osteen

Selina K, Newport Beach Public Library, “The Wedding,” by Nicolas Sparks

Advanced Category

Winner

Hermond J, Carlsbad City Library

“Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?” by Reginald F. Lewis, Blair S. Walker, and Richard Parsons

Runners-Up

Blanca F, Beaumont Public Library, “Skinny,” by Donna Cooner

Teruyo M, Newport Beach Public Library, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee

Carrie Scott and Tiera Garfield

Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Writer to Writer Co-Chairs

Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Sponsor & Support 2014 Literacy Conference

2014 SCLLN Literacy Conference

Writer to Writer Challenge

SCLLN Literacy Videos @ Pinterest

Southern California Library Literacy Network

Literacy Videos

of Adult Learners and Tutors

have been pinned on

Pinterest

Azusa City Library
Carlsbad City Library
Centro Latino for Literacy
Chula Vista Library
Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library
Newport Beach Library
Rancho Cucamonga Library
A K Smiley Redlands Library
San Diego County Library

Videos of Learner Stories and Tutor Stories can also be seen at

California Library Literacy Services

Adult Literacy Awareness Month - Upland Library - Ventura Co Library

Adult Literacy Awareness Month

September Spotlight

on SCLLN Literacy Programs

Upland Public Library - Adult Literacy Program

is a site of the West End Literacy League, a joint program between the Rancho Cucamonga and Upland Public Libraries. Since its inception in 1989, the Adult Literacy program has helped over 1,000 English-speaking adults improve their basic reading and writing skills, and the program can help you or someone you know. Adult learners are matched with trained volunteers for free one-to-one tutoring. Instruction is based on the learner's needs and goals.

Adult Literacy Reading Club

Please note the new date and time:

Second Tuesday of the month, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

September through June

Adult learners discuss books and meet other aspiring readers in their own book club, which began on October 3, 2006. Each book club member receives a free copy of the book to be discussed. Please check the Library Calendar for specific dates. Grant restrictions limit participation to adult literacy learners and tutors only; please contact the Literacy Office to pre-register, (909) 931-4212.

Ready-Set-Read

As an outreach service, the Upland Literacy Program coordinates the "Books for Babies" project. This is a joint effort to nurture literacy at an early age by providing a Ready-Set-Read kit to new parents who visit the San Antonio Community Hospital's Healthy Beginnings Family Care Center. These bilingual (English/Spanish) kits provide information about the benefits of reading to baby, tips on how to read to baby, a list of appropriate titles, a list of parenting books, information about the four participating libraries, a board book, and a coupon to be redeemed for another board book at any one of the four libraries. The Upland Public Library, in partnership with the Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, and San Bernardino County Libraries, provides the "Read-Set-Read" Kits. For additional information about this program, call any of the participating libraries or the Healthy Beginnings Family Care Center at (909) 980-BABY

Ventura County Library

The Reading Instruction for Adults provides free one-to-one reading and writing tutoring by trained volunteers throughout Ventura County. The Ventura County Library has been offering this service since 1984, when it was one of the original public libraries to join the California Literacy Campaign. Our administrative costs are part of the Ventura County Library's budget. Additional funding comes from ongoing collaborative agreements with Ventura Adult School, Oxnard Adult School, various cities and the Sheriff's Department. State grants and donations from government, business, and service organizations enable us to help about 500 individuals each year.

Tutoring takes place in libraries, school, community, and jail facilities throughout Ventura County. These sites are managed by part-time professional educators, referred to as site managers. They are available during specified times to assess learners reading levels, interview tutors, match students and tutors, recommend teaching materials and provide support for learning partners.

Adult Literacy Awareness Month - Rancho Cucamonga Library - Riverside Co Library

Adult Literacy Awareness Month

September Spotlight

on SCLLN Literacy Programs

Rancho Cucamonga Public Library

The Adult Literacy Program provides free adult literacy services to the local community. Adults who wish to participate as a student or as a volunteer tutor can contact Rosie Manela, Literacy Coordinator, at the literacy office at (909) 477-2720 ext. 5009.

The Rancho Cucamonga literacy program receives its funding support from a variety of sources such as: the California State Library, the City of Rancho Cucamonga, local Community Development Block Grants, private Foundations, and private donations.

Riverside County Library – Literacy Services

To help English-speaking adults improve their literacy skills so they may fulfill their personal goals and take advantage of opportunities as lifelong learners.

Annual Facts
• 175 Tutors Trained
• 150 Students Matched
• 60 Families Served
• 10,000 Instructional Hours
• 600 Talent and Support Hours
• 4 Full - Time Staff Members
• Population of Area Served - 760,000
• Number of Literacy Sites/Centers - 3

Rancho Cucamonga Library - RC man turning new page at 59

RC man turning new page at 59
Daily Bulletin: Feb 14, 2009 by Wendy Leung

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Maps. Menus. Job applications. This article.

They are swarming with letters and punctuation.

To many, these words and sentences guide our everyday life. To Jerry Piazza, 59, they are a source of fear.

"I almost have a phobia when given a form to fill out," said the Rancho Cucamonga resident. "It's to the point where I'm shaking a bit."

Millions of American adults like Piazza can't read a bedtime story to their children or decipher street signs in a new neighborhood.

According to a 2003 survey by the National Assessment of Adult Illiteracy, 23 percent of California's population and 20 percent of San Bernardino County's population are functionally illiterate. Some fall in this category due to a language barrier but many others, for whatever reason, never learned to read.

Piazza, who never felt like he belonged in a classroom, dropped out in the 10th grade. He spent most of his life doing landscaping, janitorial and other labor-intensive jobs.

But in 2006 - buoyed by the need for a new job and by "Stanley and Iris," the movie with Robert De Niro as the illiterate protagonist - Piazza decided to enroll in the adult literacy program at the city's library.

Twice a week, he meets with his tutor, Zarinea Zolivea, for spelling quizzes and reading comprehension exercises. Slowly but surely, one scrutinized word at a time, Piazza is evolving into a prolific reader.

"Every lesson, I see a breakthrough," Zolivea said.

When he first started the program, Piazza read at a second-grade level. The sweet satisfaction of finishing a good book was something he never tasted.

Within a year, Piazza, at the age of 57, read his first book, an abridged version of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Today, he reads at the fifth-grade level and has 35 books under his belt.

"To accomplish something I've never done in my life ... it's a great feeling," Piazza said. Chances are, if you're reading this article with little effort, it's hard to imagine what it's like to lead Piazza's life.To join Rancho Cucamonga's literacy program or to become a tutor, call (909) 477-2720, ext. 5009. READ MORE

Rancho Cucamonga Library - Conquering Illiteracy: One Man's Fight

Conquering Illiteracy: One Man's Fight
A Grandfather Reads His First Christmas Story
Good Morning America (ABC): Dec 27, 2008 by Lisa Fletcher, Nicole Young & Michael Milberger

Two years ago, reading a holiday book to his 3-year-old grandson Chip would have been impossible for Charles Goolsby. But this year, after countless hours of hard work, Goolsby is finally able to read a holiday story -- something he was never able to do for his own son and daughter.

One California man conquers a decades-long battle with reading."I was totally humiliated, a grown man with reading and writing skills that are not up to par," said Goolsby, 56, of Fontana, Calif. "I had nothing to lose, because I was at my bottom, my lowest point."

Recently divorced and recovering from heart surgery, Goolsby was entering a new phase of his life. Fixing car transmissions was his specialty. He even owned his own business with the help of his son, but facing retirement, his safety net was disappearing.

"If I needed something, I'd always say, 'Well, give me the paper, I'll go home and fill it out,' or I'd take my wife with me," said Goolsby. "People with the same disability that I have, you know how to get around stuff, you learn the shortcut for someone to help you."

It's not uncommon to find adults headed for retirement who do not have sufficient reading skills. Goolsby began as one of 30 million American adults who cannot read beyond a simple sentence and the 7 million who can't read at all, according to the National Institute for Literacy.

Rosie Manela, adult literacy program director at the Rancho Cucamonga Library, where Goolsby takes literacy lessons, said fear of embarrassment often prevents adults from seeking help.

"It is sad, because in this fast-paced technology, this competitive global economy, our country is going to suffer if we don't do anything about that," she said. READ MORE

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