San Bernardino Public Library - Cartoonists coming to town to boost literacy

Cartoonists coming to town to boost literacySan Bernardino County Sun: July 13, 2006 by Michel Nolan

Cartoonist Phil Yeh hopes to draw a crowd this weekend at San Bernardino's Norman F. Feldheym Central Library. 

Yeh is creator of the befuddled Patrick Rabbit and a menagerie of witty dinosaurs and other wise and wonderful critters.

He is also a passionate children's literacy advocate.

The 51-year-old Santa Maria resident, president of Cartoonists Across America, channels his high energy into inspiring kids to read. Cartoonists Across America will promote literacy and the arts by painting colorful murals on the San Bernardino Public Library's truck and van Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend event calls for famous artists to work side by side with local kids. Everyone is invited to participate.

Library vehicles will be transformed into giant works of mobile art. It'll take several famous artists to make the Van Gogh.

Yeh (pronounced yeah) is the catalyst for the event, "Building a World of Readers, Artists and Dreamers," set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Most artists will appear at Saturday's festivities.

"The whole idea is to use cartoons and humor to show kids that reading can be fun," says Yeh, who has penned 86 books.

Wearing his trademark battered cowboy hat, the artist has covered more than 1 million miles, crisscrossing the United States, Europe and Asia with his cartoonist cohorts, encouraging kids to love books.

It is Yeh's thought that cartoons can be used to actually inspire people of all ages to read. The artists that comprise the Cartoonists Across America and the World organization have toured the globe, painting more than 1,500 colorful murals, speaking at schools, libraries, museums and conferences.

"I've talked to presidents' wives, governors and mayors, and they've all told me they read comics when they first started reading. They would read Superman or Archie comics and then progress to books," Yeh says.

"I want us to make San Bernardino a city of readers and let other cities catch up to San Bernardino. I'm here to help that happen," says Yeh, adding that he'd like to issue a challenge.

"I'd like to challenge famous people to step up for the kids. If this event is successful, why can't writers, artists, actors, musicians, directors, cartoonists stop in San Bernardino on the way to Las Vegas or Palm Springs? They could stop at the library and talk to people about their craft. It could change a young person's life."

Lead artists Yeh and Klaus Leven will be joined by "The Simpsons" cartoonist, Phil Ortiz of Lake Arrowhead.

"Kids have different tastes but they need to find some sort of reading source to spark or jump-start their interest in reading," says Ortiz, who revealed he will be painting his favorite Simpsons character on the van.

"I've painted murals in the past," Ortiz says. "Cartooning animation is something I've chased all my life."

The weekend event also includes family fun with children's authors, live entertainment, food, local celebrities and a remote broadcast by KOLA-FM (99.9). Live entertainment includes an appearance by the Inland Empire 66ers dancers and mascot.

Local bands Live Unity, Deluge and Dionysos will play a musical mix from hip-hop to new age.

Other event artists include George Gladir, Archie comics writer and creator of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and Matt Lorentz, artist for Tony Hawk and No Fear product line, as well as Jim Gilbert, host of "Cartoon Factory."

Authors and cartoonists will speak or participate in presentations in the library's Bing Wong Auditorium throughout the day. They also will be selling and autographing their books and comics in the lobby. Cartoonists Across America will give out free comics. The City of Readers will give out free books.

Yeh's book, "Theo the Dinosaur," is a story for all ages, a kid-friendly tale told in a series of colorful cartoon oil paintings that have been shown in galleries across the country. The book is filled with prehistoric and pithy admonitions pearls like "Read, Rock and Recycle. Avoid Extinction."

Yeh believes that taking comic books away from kids has contributed to illiteracy.

"With no comic books, you're not offering kids the natural progression before they start to read chapter books," he says. "The pictures help them if they don't understand the words."

Even beyond literacy, the young-adult coordinator for the library, Linda Adams, says the event is also aimed at stemming the tide of violence in the community.

Adams recalls former Police Chief Garrett Zimmon's quote about how difficult it is to hold a gun in your hand while holding a book.

"An event like this motivates and encourages kids to be creative and get out and do something they're interested in," Adams says.

"In reality, the library is not just about books, but the whole world of music, art and culture. It's positive and creative."

For more information about Cartoonists Across America, call 909-725-7337.

Monrovia Library - Authors Fair A Success Story for Monrovia

Authors Fair A Success Story for Monrovia
Arcadia Weekly: June 5, 2006 by Liset Marquez

Despite the heat Monrovians and book readers alike came out to enjoy the Author and Community Service Fair at Library Park that was presented by the Monrovia Library and Mystic Sisters Bookstore.

One of the real crowd pleasers was pro wrestling star and author, Diamond Dallas Page who was the keynote speaker.

Page who showed off his world heavy weight title during his speech emphasized the importance of reading. At the age of 30, Page told the crowd he had a third grade reading level and as a child he battled ADD and dyslexia.

Page told the crowd he was determined to read a book so he broke it down into goals was able to complete the book in a year. He is now the author of two books.

Melanie Goodyear, Literacy coordinator at Monrovia Library, said Page was a real inspiration to the entire audience.

"As a former pro wrestler he definitely put on a good show, he got everybody excited and he was really inspirational," she said. "A lot of our adult learners were here in the audience and they all walked up him and gave him a hug afterwards."

Goodyear said the adult learners shared their experiences with him.

"His theory is that 10 percent of what happens to you in life is other external stuff you can't control. The other 90 percent is what make of it," Goodyear

FAIR said. "It's about how he's overcome his adversity in life by controlling what he thinks, having positive relationships and being physically fit."

Goodyear said Page's message helps promote the adult literacy program the Monrovia library operates, which is the only one in the surrounding cities.

But Page's message was just one of many expressed by the more than 20 authors that spoke at the fair.

Abel Flores of Azusa sat in on an inspirational panel discussion and said it was nice that the authors were there to talk about their books.

"You actually figure out what they're thinking when they were writing the book," he said.

Tina Carey, owner of Mystic Sisters, said the fair is a fundraiser for the library with a percentage of sales of the books going towards the Monrovia Library.

She said that she started talking with the library about creating an author fair in February. The bookstore also hosts two other fairs, one in Duarte, and Diamond Bar.

"When you're doing it for the first time you always want more people but it takes time to build roots," Carey said.

Both Goodyear and Carey said there is discussion to make the fair an annual event. Carey said one thing she would love to see is more children engaged in the event.

"We partnered with the library to get out the message- to the community- what resources it has to offer," she said.

Carey said that she opened her bookstore, which is located down the street from the library, with intentions for the authors to connect with the readers.

"Part of the purpose of the bookstore is to create a community," she said.

Carey said it is obvious that the library needs funding.

"It's such an interesting time, Monrovia Library needs funds to be expanded," she said.

Carey said she hopes events like the fair could help strengthen support for the friends of the library club.

San Diego Public Library - READ/San Diego Receives National Award from American Library Association

San Diego Public Library
Monday, June 19, 2006

Library’s Adult Literacy Program Receives National Award
from American Library Association

SAN DIEGO – READ/San Diego, the City of San Diego Public Library’s adult literacy program, has been chosen by the American Library Association to receive the prestigious Advancement of Literacy Award. READ/San Diego is a free adult and family literacy for adults 18 years of age and older.

“I am extremely pleased that the American Library Association has recognized READ/San Diego for its accomplishments in improving literacy,” said City Library Director Anna Tatár. “Library staff and volunteers have helped make this program a national model.”

Established in 1984, the Advancement of Literacy Award honors a publisher, bookseller, hardware and/or software dealer, foundation or similar group that has made a significant contribution to the advancement of adult literacy. Criteria used for judging nominations include amount of support given to libraries for literacy projects, evidence of long-term commitment to literacy, and encouragement provided to other groups to undertake similar activity. A plaque will be awarded at the American Library Association’s annual conference, held this year from June 22-28 in New Orleans. The awards event is sponsored by The Library Journal.

Recent past recipients of the Advancement of Literacy Award include Verizon Foundation (2005); Elizabeth Fischer, Subrata De and Tom Brokaw of “Dateline NBC,” NBC News (2004); Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (2003); Center for Literacy, Philadelphia (2002); The Providence Journal (2001); Starbucks Foundation (2000); Lila Wallace, Reader’s Digest Fund and Mount Clemens Rotary Club (co-winners) (1999).

READ/San Diego began in 1988 with seed funding by the California State Library. Staffed by literacy professionals, the adult literacy program coordinates the efforts of volunteer reading tutors and cooperates with local adult schools, community colleges and other literacy education providers in making and receiving student referrals. Each year, the program assists more than 1,000 adult learners from various backgrounds and learning levels.

In 2004, READ/San Diego was named one of the top community partnerships in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education.