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.