Seattle Library names new CEO - Susan Hildreth, State Librarian of California

Seattle Library names new CEO:
California woman the 'clear choice'
Seattle PI: Nov 24, 2008 by Jon Naito

The candidate selected for the top position at The Seattle Public Library is an experienced executive who currently leads the nation's largest state library.

Susan Hildreth, the state librarian of California, was the unanimous choice of the library's board of trustees to become its new city librarian and chief executive officer, according to a news release Monday.

Hildreth was chosen after a nationwide search. The other finalists were Jane Light, director of the San Jose Public Library in California and Rivkah Sass, director of the Omaha Public Library in Nebraska.

Each of the finalists spent a day last week meeting with the library's board, its administration and staff, and members of the Library Foundation and Friends.

Hildreth, who will assume her post early next year, succeeds Deborah Jacobs, who left the library in July to accept a position with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. READ MORE

Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy Award 2008 - Jean Hofacket, Alameda County library director

Outstanding Librarian

in Support of Literacy Award - 2008

California Library Association Literacy Section

& California Library Literacy Services

The California Library Association recently recognized an Alameda County library director with an exceptional librarian award.

Jean Hofacket was honored with the Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy Award at the association's annual awards dinner on Nov. 14.

The association honored Hofacket because she has shown commitment to underserved populations throughout her career. She directed a five-year strategic plan and funding for literacy efforts throughout the library system and in places such as Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center in San Leandro.

The president of the Board of Supervisors Scott Haggerty said in a prepared statement, "Jean has made literacy a priority since becoming County librarian and she deserves the recognition.''

Nevada County Library coordinator to head California literacy efforts
Union: Nov 15, 2008

Alan Archer, Nevada County Library’s coordinator of adult literacy services, has been named president of the Literacy Section of the California Library Association.

Archer, of Grass Valley, will lead the group that represents literacy programs in more than 100 library jurisdictions across California. The group’s objective is to help improve the skills of an estimated three million adults in the state who read, write or figure numbers below functional levels.

Archer has directed Nevada County Library’s Literacy Program since 2005. The program, now called Read Up!, targets a projected 10,000 county residents who are deficient in one or more of the three Rs, county Librarian Mary Ann Trygg said.

“Alan’s appointment at the state level is a well deserved recognition for spearheading our local program, which now serves nearly three times as many students as it did when he joined us four years ago,” Trygg said.

Archer directs the county library’s Read Up! Program with the help of volunteer tutors, who offer one-on-one tutoring.

The program teaches mathematics and the reading and writing of English throughout Nevada County. English as a second language (ESL) is provided to foreign-born residents of Truckee, as well.

Health Literacy

Health Literacy Session
SCLLN General Meeting - Nov 20, 2008
Presenter: Kelli Sandman-Hurley, READ/San Diego

Highlights from afternoon session . . .

Definition: The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriated health decisions. Healthy People 2010

~ can recognize a health information need
~ identify sources
~ search for relevant information
~ evaluate quality of the information
~ use information to make good decisions

Low Health Literacy Impacts
~ average 6% more hospital visits
~ stay in hospital 2 days longer
~ had fewer doctor visits but more hospital resources
~ annual health care costs 4 times higher

Demographics of lower health literacy
~ gender: men
~ age group: over 65
~ racial/ethnic: hispanic
~ living in poverty
~ literacy rate improve with each higher level of education

Clear Communication - Plain Language
~ harmless instead of benign
~ heart instead of cardiac
~ swelling instead of edema
~ tired instead of fatigue
~ side effects instead of adverse events

some additional sources @ literacyspace

Health Literacy Month: October 2008
National Network of Libraries of Medicine
Health Literacy Out Loud 3-CD Set
Ask Me 3

Health Literacy Month: October 2007
video cataloguing the hidden epidemic of low health literacy in America
Health & Literacy Special CollectionRhode Island Health Literacy Project
Health Care Blog

SCLLN Newsletters

SCLLN Newsletters
Check Out "Member Newsletters" !

from Escondido . . .
We began our Youth Academic Mentoring Program on October 6, 2008, and every day we get a new influx of students. The Mentor Center, housed over at the East Valley Community Complex, provides a learning environment where 1st – 8th graders can come in and work with one of fourteen CSU San Marcos interns.

Besides tutoring services, the interns act as mentors to our young learners, providing them with companionship, conversation and guidance in career exploration.

from Palmdale . . .
Learning about Wine by Ben Novelli
The Palmdale Literacy Program gave me the tools I needed to read and write. That has allowed me to do research so I am able to write an article on wine. Thank you Palmdale for having a Literacy Program.

I love wine, and I try to learn as much as I can about the stuff. There have been a lot of changes in the wine world. For instance, French wines were the wines to drink for years, but in 1976 California came onto the scene.

from San Diego County . . .
“Read for the Record” was an exciting event that took place on October 2nd at two library branches: El Cajon and Encinitas.

It was a wonderful way for L.E.A.R.N. to help Jumpstart, a national nonprofit organization, promote early childhood literacy. Jumpstart’s campaign has spread the importance of reading and family literacy across the country since 1993! This year they projected that 400,000 children would participate in helping to break the record of reading the same book, Don Freeman’s “Corduroy,” on the same day.

Orange Co Library - Orange residents named literacy tutors

Orange residents named literacy tutors
OC Register: Nov 13, 2008 by Bob West

Two Orange residents, Melvina Westfall and Carolyn Aguilar, were certified Saturday, Nov. 8 as volunteer literacy tutors for READ/Orange County after completing the required 23-hour training course.

This training has prepared them to teach reading and writing to the one out of four adults that have low or no literacy skills. They join a dedicated corps of volunteer tutors who change the lives of adults through literacy.

Westfall will tutor in the Core program component teaching reading and writing to eager adults.

Aguilar will tutor in the EL Civics program to help provide opportunities for adult non-native speakers to become better parents, workers, and community members by gaining language and literacy skills.

Marcia Tungate, READ/OC Literacy Programs administrator, said, "It is the commitment of our wonderful tutors that makes our literacy program great. When we teach someone to read, we start a ripple that affects the lives of the individual, the family, and the community. Everything we do is impacted by the ability to read."

READ/Orange County offers a comprehensive training program for adults who want to become a tutor. No prior teaching experience is necessary.

Information: READ/Orange County or 714-566-3070.

Literacy Tribune - November 2008

The Literacy Tribune has information for readers on topics such as health, finance, education and technology. It also has stories and poems by adult learners.
It is published by United Literacy, as a resource and support for adult learners.

Highlights from the November 2008 issue:

Getting to the Heart of It

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year . . . . .

A Learner's Poem: A Star Came DownBy Rodolfo Diaz, Adult Learner

A star came down from the sky bringing with it . . . . .

Technology Watch: Updating Windows XP with Service Pack 3

We have talked about the importance of anti-virus software to protect your computer. But, that is not the only way to keep your computer and your personal information safe . . . . .

A History Lesson: James Madison

James Madison was the fourth president of the United States. Born in Port Conway, Virginia on March 16, 1751, he is one of 7 presidents from Virginia . . . 

Call for Writers !

Are you an adult learner ?
Do you want to write ?
Do you want to publish your writing ?

The Literacy Tribune is looking for adult learner writers.

You can write about:

Literacy resources you liked
Your literacy organization
Your road to literacy
You can write book reviews, poetry, short stories

You can write articles about health, finance, or technology

You can write just about anything

Ventura Co Library - Harvest Ride 2008

Ventura County Library System and Harvest Ride

2008
Ventura County Star: Nov 7, 2008 by M Murphy

This months activity began with the annual fundraising event, Harvest Ride for Literacy, Saturday, October 4th, 2008. Details of the event included some wonderful charity bike rides (a 100 mile, 66 mile, 55 mile and 30 mile) and a family ride of 8.5 miles. This years event raised over seven thousand dollars and that is enough to support one reading support center for a year!

The Harvest Ride event is typical of the deep devotion the Ventura Community feels toward the improvement of adult literacy in the Ventura county area. There are innumerable success stories emanating from this organization. At the end of the month, the Ventura County Library Reading Instruction for Adults (RIFA) graduated the October 2008 class of twenty adult literacy tutors.

This story is not unique to Ventura County. Over 140,000 high school graduates that are able to speak English lack basic reading skills because of severe learning disabilities that make it difficult to learn in a normal classroom environment. This is about one out of every four adults in California. Tragically, even if they are able to gain employment, they may be unable to read even the most basic childrens book to their families and the childrens academic progress can suffer also.

For more information about becoming an adult literacy volunteer please go to vencolibrary.org READ MORE