SCLLN Literacy Library Calendar: July 2007

July 2007 Literacy - Library Calendar

Linguistic Institute 2007: Sunday, 7/1 - Friday, 7/27
Location: Department of Linguistics, Stanford University
Features 18 presession courses (July 1-3)
and 73 regular session courses (July 5-27).

National Literacy Day: Monday, 7/2
July 2nd, has special significance, it is the actual date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and it is also the date the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed. People who can't read can't practice their freedoms or rights, due to their lack of education. July 2nd is also the anniversary of FOCUS ON LITERACY, INC..

Independence Day: Wednesday, 7/4

Harry Potter - Deathly Hallows Bus Tour: Thursday, 7/5 - Saturday, 7/7
Location: San Diego Public Library: 10 am - 1 pm, Mission Valley Branch Library, Fenton Marketplace in Mission Valley
July 6
County of LA, West Covina Library 9am-12Noon
County of LA, Clifton M. Brakensiek Library 2pm-5pm

July 7
Los Angeles Public Library, Mid-Valley Regional 9am-12Noon
Los Angeles Public Library, Central Library 2pm-5pm

Adult Learner Leadership Institute – VALUE: Thursday, 7/5 - Saturday, 7/7
Location: Crown Plaza Downtown 50 Morgan St Hartford CT
Voice of Adult Literacy United for Education - VALUE
5th biennial Institute
"Literacy & Leadership = Independence"
610 . 876 . 7625

Best, Current Ideas-Jumpstarting Kindergartner's Literacy-Learning
Monday, 7/9 - Tuesday, 7/10
Location: Anaheim
Bureau of Education & Research
Make-It and Take-It Institute

Harry Potter - Deathly Hallows Bus Tour: Tuesday, 7/10 - Wednesday, 7/11
Location: San José Public Library, Cambrian Branch Library 10 am - 1 pm, Berryessa Branch Library 3 pm - 6 pm
July 11
San Francisco Public Library Main 11am - 2pm
Oakland Public Library Main 4pm - 7pm

National Storytelling Conference: Thursday, 7/12 - Sunday, 7/15
Location: Sheraton Hotels, Westport, St Louis Missouri
Storytelling: Reflecting Our Past, Creating Your Future"

Tutor Training - READ/San Diego: Monday, 7/16, 9:30am - 12:30pm
Location: Malcolm X Branch Library 5148 Market St San Diego CA
1st Session: also Jul 18, 20, 23 and 25
619 . 527 . 5475

Tutor Orientation - Newport Beach Public Library: Wednesday, 7/18, 6 - 7:30pm
Location: Newport Beach Public Library 1000 Avacado Newport Beach CA
Workshop in August

SCLLN General Meeting: Thursday, 7/19, 9:30am - 3pm
Location: Heritage Park Regional Branch, 14361 Yale, Irvine CA 92604

Tutor Training - Los Angeles Public Library: Saturday, 7/21, 10am - 5pm
Location: Venice Branch 501 S Venice Venice CA
All Volunteers must be Interviewed First !
Contact: 213 . 228 . 7037

Comic-Con International: Thursday, 7/26 - Sunday, 7/29
Location: San Diego Convention Center 111 W Harbor San Diego CA

Beaumont Library - Adding Services

Beaumont Library adding servicesRecord Gazette: June 14, 2007

The Beaumont Library Board of Trustees has appointed Lucy Johnson-Sims to administer Adult Literacy Services at the library. The library applied for and was awarded funding from the California State Library to implement the program. Based on community needs assessments submitted by citizens, literacy was one of the priorities they felt was needed in Beaumont.

Sims brings to the program a wealth of knowledge in the field of adult and family literacy. She has many years of experience and is recognized throughout California for her expertise in the field. As the program manager, her duties will include community outreach, recruiting and training volunteers, as well as recruiting and assessing adult learners to be matched with volunteer tutors.

In addition, the library is undergoing a face-lift. Renovations are underway upstairs to create additional office space for adult and early literacy programs. Soon, the library will complete ADA requirements, as an elevator will be installed before the end of the year. The library will close down for two-weeks in August to complete additional renovations downstairs.

Anyone looking for a volunteer activity that will bring them enjoyment and satisfaction should contact the library about becoming a volunteer tutor. Tutors will be trained and will receive support from the library literacy staff and materials and supplies will be provided. Also, anyone who knows someone needing help with basic reading, writing and mathematic skills should have them contact the library at 845-1357.

Escondido Library - Escondido literacy program helps people reach goals

Escondido literacy program helps people reach goalsNorth County Times: 6.06.07 By: Paul Eakins

ESCONDIDO -- When Araceli Capilla began taking literacy classes at Escondido Public Library, her goal was to improve the English she had learned in order to become a U.S. citizen after moving here from Mexico.

But three years later, Capilla, 45, has been inspired to go beyond simply speaking better.

The library's literacy program, in which Capilla and many other Escondido residents get one-on-one help from a tutor several days a week, has given her the English the longtime housewife needed to get a job. Eventually, she hopes to become a pharmacy technician, largely thanks to the teaching and inspiration of her tutor.

"She motivated me to set my goals," Capilla said last week. "When I came to this program, my English level was very low. The program's helped me to improve my speaking, reading and writing."

The literacy program began in 1990 and since has expanded its services, facilities and resources, said Josephine Jones, the program's director. Last year, 117 adults were tutored by about 85 volunteers, she said.

Native English speakers use the program to get their General Equivalency Diploma, or GED, or to improve basic skills they didn't fully acquire in their schooling.

"We started out as a literacy program for native English speakers who somehow had fallen through the cracks," Jones said at her office last week.

About four years ago, the library at 239 S. Kalmia opened a learning annex for the literacy program next door in a small, single-story building. The annex has a small computer lab, individual tutoring classrooms, and books, games and other learning tools.

Last year, the program expanded its English as a second language program by starting a group night class that meets three days a week. Soon, those classes will expand to two separate classes meeting four days a week, Jones said.

The night English class teacher is David Moskowitz, a retired businessman and Escondido resident, who said many of his students are parents whose children usually speak better English than they do, which can create tension.

"This is important for family dynamics," Moskowitz said. "Number one, they can help their children with schooling, and number two, they can communicate better (in English)."

The library also runs after-school literacy programs at five Escondido schools to give extra help to students who need it.

Funding for the literacy program's $300,000 budget comes from the city of Escondido, the state and grants, Jones said. An annual scrabble competition also raises money for the program, bringing in as much as $17,000 from its sponsors, she said.

Fran Caruso, a retired nurse from San Marcos, has tutored in the program for six years after previously tutoring elementary school students.

Teaching adults has its advantages and its challenges, she and Moskowitz said.

"Not all young children want to learn," Caruso said. "Whereas the adults who come here want to learn."

But the obstacle for adults is to be willing to ask questions and not be ashamed, the tutors said.

"The big step for anyone, ESL (English as a second language) or native speaker, is to come and say that they need help," Moskowitz said.

At the learning annex, Dorothy Black, a 48-year-old Jamaican immigrant, studied math last week from a book several inches thick with her tutor, Marshall Spenser of Vista, in preparation for taking her GED.

After first studying on her own but failing the test, she went to the literacy program for help about 1 1/2 years ago, Black said. Since then, she has passed the writing portion of the test and hopes to soon pass the math portion, she said.

Black's goal is to later become a nursing assistant, she said. She credited tutors such as Spenser, a 57-year-old retired soldier, with helping her achieve her dream.

"He's a blessing," Black said. "He's fun to work with, and whatever he's explaining to me makes it easier to understand."

Hemet Library - Hemet library program teaches adults to read

Hemet library program teaches adults to read
Inland News: June 4, 2007 By Diane Rhodes

About one in five English-speaking adult residents of the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley is unable to read or write well enough to function easily in day-to-day living, according to information provided by Hemet Public Library Adult Literacy Services.

Thanks to this program, Kenneth Foster is no longer among them.
"When Kenneth first came to us he was at a very low reading level," explained Lori Eastman, who has been the center's services coordinator for about four years. "Part of the intake process is to discuss roles and goals. It's a way for us to be able to hone in on skills and give information to the tutors."

Foster's training was slow and frustrating at first.
"I had a desire to become a minister and I needed to know how to read," said Foster, of Hemet. "I was able to achieve that goal only because of the literacy center. I am reading before a group of people at church for the first time in my life."

Foster compared the feeling to what most women experience after giving birth to a child. "After all the pain, I have a beautiful thing here," he explained.

Growing up in Alabama, Foster's learning difficulties were not recognized or addressed while he was in school. He eventually dropped out. After marrying young and becoming a father, Foster turned to Job Corps to learn skills that would allow him to support his family. He was taught carpentry and earned his apprenticeship license.

"When I got on a job I worked twice as hard to win the confidence of my employer," said Foster, who added that he became excellent at memorization.
Foster began independent study at the center's computer lab about a month ago, using the newly purchased "Discover Intense Phonics for Yourself."

Eastman explained how the 30-lesson program systematically shows the learner how to build words. It also allows the learner to prove why a word is spelled the way it is. She said the computer program was purchased with proceeds from last September's "Walk-A-Mile for Literacy," which raised about $7,000 for the center.

Foster said he was working on the computer recently when a light bulb finally went off in his head. "I thought of all the skills I'd been struggling with since grammar school," said Foster. "I was so amazed the words were coming to me. It was so awesome."

Eastman said the program uses seeing, hearing and doing to reinforce what learners are taught. "A lot of people don't know what it's like to walk around and not know how to read signs or write down the simplest directions," said Foster.

"And you can't say anything because people tend to avoid you if they know you have a problem."

The Literacy Center at 315 E. Latham Ave. is open Monday and Wednesday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Information, 951-765-3856.

Burbank Library - Outstanding volunteers honored in Burbank

Outstanding volunteers honored in Burbank
Valley News: 5.18.07 by Bill Grayeb

Since 1963, May has been proclaimed Older Americans Month nationwide, in part to bring attention to problems faced by older citizens, but also to recognize how instumental seniors are in helping solve those problems.

On May 15, seven local residents were honored for their volunteer work within the community.

Six received the city of Burbank's Outstanding Older American Volunteer Service Awards -among them:

Pat Gafford (back row) was honored for her tutoring work with children in the "Ready to Read" Program-Burbank Public Library, and her previous work at the Burbank YMCA, Burbank Chorale and Burbank Heritage Commission.

The Older American Awards is one way we take the time to acknowledge and thank those who give of themselves to help make our communities stronger and a better place for all Americans.

SCLLN PDD Conference 2007

How To Integrate Technology into the Curriculum: May 11, 2007 by EducEdge

The Southern California Library Literacy Network, Inc. organized the SCLLN Professional Development Day in Anaheim, CA.

Workshops on Health Literacy by Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Learn to Use the Wilson Reading System by Marcia Tungate, Integrating Technology into the Curriculum by Sabine Reljic, and A Holistic Approach to Volunteer Management by Cathay Reta were offered to the SCLLN members.

My presentation/workshop addresses some interest in using web-based tools to support reading and writing instruction for low literacy adults. My ppt can be accessed here: How to Integrate Technology into the Curriculum

You are free to use the slides for your own workshop. I am only asking you to properly credit the slides contents to their original author as per the Creative Commons License.

Glendora Library - Glendora Trivia Challenge 2007

Glendora Trivia Challenge
San Gabriel Valley Tribune: March 21, 2007

Will Mike and Marcia Conway's team repeat or will we crown a new champion at the 15th annual Great Trivia Challenge set for March 23 at APU's Upper Turner Campus Center?

About 300 people are expected to watch and see.

This is the 15th year the Glendora Public Library Friends Foundation has held the Great Trivia Challenge.

Local businesses and service clubs have fun competing in a friendly competition. Thom Hill returns as master of ceremonies for the 15th year.

It is a fun event for the community and a wonderful way for the community to give to the Glendora Public Library, said Chris Cravens, Foundation office manager.

Vying for bragging rights as trivia champs are Certified Auto; Glendora Lions Club, last year's second-place winners; Glendora Rotary Club; Kiwanis Club of Glendora; Hughes Homes, Inc.; Glendora Kiwaniannes; Oakdale Memorial Park Mortuary; In-N-Out Burger; Antoine Sayegh, DDS; Littlepage Photography; White House Real Estate; Foundation for Glendora Unified School District; Azusa/Glendora Soroptimists; Heartland Mortgage; Southland Properties; Jan's Towing; Foothill Presbyterian Hospital; and Social Model Recovery Systems.

Teams have to come prepared to answer questions on any category: sports, movies, medicine, science, literature and current events. Judges are Clay Hess, Karen Babineau and Doris Blum.

Tickets are $10 if purchased at the Glendora Library Friends Book Loft or at the checkout desk (during regular library hours) and $12 if purchased at the door.

The ticket includes an extensive food buffet and the trivia challenge event. The food is provided by local restaurants.

Spaghetti Eddie's provides a tear-off coupon for either $7 or $10 on the ticket (which makes the ticket practically free and you get to support the library to boot.)

The goal is to raise $20,000, which will go to support library programs such as the adult literacy program, outreach programs to expectant and teen parents, summer reading clubs for children, teens and adults, author visits, book discussions and other cultural events.

The organizers would like to extend special thanks not only to the hard-working trivia challenge committee but also Spaghetti Eddie's, and all of the restaurants who donated food and all of their sponsors including Athens Services; Suncraft Development; Crestwood Communities; Pacific Western Bank; Monrovia Growers; Rain Bird Corporation; Candlelight Pavilion and Glendora Auto Centre Association.

Special thanks to the committee: Judi Rudd, Debbie Deal, Lynda Siminske, Debbie Schmidt and Pam Richards. These ladies have worked extremely hard to get sponsors, organize the food donors and get door prizes for the event.

For information call (626) 852-4894