Literacy . . . Info . . . News . . . Questions - Value of Volunteer Time: 2009

Value of Volunteer Time: 2009

The 2008 estimated dollar value of volunteer time in California: $23.29 (updated figures for each state will be released in the spring of 2010).

$20.85 per hour for the U.S. according to Independent Sector.

Independent Sector has charts for:
1) Dollar Value of a Volunteer Hour: 1980 – 2009
2) Dollar Value of a Volunteer Hour, by State: 2008
~ Note that 2008 is the latest year for which state numbers are available.
~ There is a lag of almost one year in the government's release of state level data.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, about 61.8 million Americans, or 26.4 percent of the adult population, gave 8 billion hours of volunteer service worth $162 billion in 2008 (the 2009 numbers will be released on June 15).

Volunteer to Tutor @ Your Local Library:
SCLLN, BALIT, Northern California Literacy Coalition or CLLS

National Library Week 2010

National Library Week

Our Public Library Lifeline Is Fraying. We'll Be Sorry When it Snaps Huffington Post: April 11, 2010 by Art Brodksky

This is National Library Week, a time normally reserved for celebrating an institution that plays a vital role in many of our cities, towns and counties. Instead, many libraries, particularly public libraries, are being decimated by budget cuts at a time when library services are needed most.

Libraries, once considered a necessity, are now seen as a luxury. They are low-hanging fruit for budget pluckers, particularly at the state and local levels of government in communities across the country. It's been a slow death by attrition over the past couple of years. First, it was the budget for books and materials because, after all, books and materials aren't people. No matter that books and materials are what makes a library, well, a library. Then came the hours of operation, then the staff, then the closure of branches. No two communities are approaching the situation identically, but in cities from Boston to Indianapolis, the stories are increasingly dire.

In Boston, the trustees voted to close four branches. There was lots of protest, and Mayor Thomas Menino still has to make the final call, but the situation doesn't look good.

The Florida legislature is considering eliminating state aid to libraries entirely, while the New Jersey legislature is only looking a at a 74 percent cut. Indianapolis and surrounding Marion County are also looking at closing six branches and cutting back programs and staff.

In my home community of Montgomery County, Maryland, formerly one of the wealthiest local jurisdictions, the County Council is looking at a budget for fiscal year 2011 of $29 million - down from $40 million just three years ago. This year, it is slated for a 23 percent cut - one of the largest of any agency, on top of cuts in the last fiscal year with percentage decreases larger than all but one county agency. And this is for a county of about one million residents in which 70 percent hold library cards. It's even worse across the river, in Fairfax County, Virgina, where libraries were declared a "discretionary" service while cutting 30 of 54 full-time librarians. Libraries discretionary? That's nuts.

These are only some of the stories. They are being repeated endlessly across the country, perhaps even where you live. Some places put a high value on their libraries. Contrast the $29 million of my county for the $51 million library budget in Seattle, a city of about 600,000. Sure, Seattle needed to cut the library budget, but the fact that they started out much higher than my home says something about their priorities. Sadly, Seattle is the exception, not the rule. READ MORE !

Happy National Library Week

Day In the District: April 16 2010

Day in the District
April 16, 2010

Please plan to join CLA, the California School Library Association, and your fellow Library Advocates for Day in the District on Friday, April 16th 2010!

This year, our Associations will schedule visits with legislators in their local district offices throughout the state. These Day in the District meetings will provide a great opportunity to educate your legislators and their aides about the importance of libraries within their respective jurisdictions.

About Day in the District
Day in the District is an annual statewide library advocacy event in which library supporters meet with elected officials within their local offices throughout California.

If you are interested in helping set up legislative meetings, please contact Kevin Kilkenny, CLA Legislative Coordinator, at 916-233-3298 or kevink@cla-net.org. Otherwise, click here for information on how to register for an appointment with your legislator.

Helpful Documents
Below are a list of documents will assist you in delivering your message about the importance of libraries within elected officials' respective communities:
~ Register for an Appointment with Your Legislator~ Talking Points
~ Tips for Lobbying Your Legislator
~ Funds by Assembly District
~ Funds by Senate District

Newport Beach Library: Gift of Literacy Luncheon

Gift of Literacy – Author Luncheon

April 30, 2010

11:30 am – 2:30 pm

Radisson Hotel

4545 MacArthur Blvd – Newport Beach

Can you imagine not being able to read? A surprising number of individuals in our community cannot read signs, write checks, let alone read a newspaper.

The Newport Beach Public Library’s Literacy Program is working to change that. Please join us at this wonderful luncheon where your participation will help us help them to be productive and successful in their lives, at home, at work, and in the community.

This year’s event will feature two bestselling authors:
María Amparo Escandón and Sonia Nazario.

Escandón is the author of the bestselling novels, Esperanza’s Box of Saints, and Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co.: A Road Novel with Literary License. Both Newsweek and the Los Angeles Times named her the “Writer to Watch” in 1999 and 2000. She also teaches fiction writing at UCLA Extension.

Nazario has spent twenty years reporting and writing about social issues, most recently as a projects reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Her stories have tackled some of this country’s most intractable problems: hunger, drug addiction, immigration. Her book, Enrique’s Journey, which became a national bestseller and won two book awards, was based on her Pulitzer Prize winning series in the Los Angeles Times.

$75 per person; $100 for a seat at one of the Authors’ Tables

Books will be available for purchase and signing.
A silent auction and raffle prizes will be held.

Purchase tickets online click here

Phone: 949-717-3874

Mail: Send checks payable to Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy

Newport Beach Public Library

1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach, CA 92660

All proceeds from the event will help fund the Newport Beach Public Library Literacy Services program which serves approximately 150 adult learners annually with free literacy instruction, including one-on-one tutoring, writing workshops, conversation classes and other programs designed to develop the literacy skills of adults and empower them to achieve greater success in their lives – at home, at work, and in the community.

Listorious: Adult Literacy - The definitive list of who matters on Twitter

Listorious: AdultLiteracy
The definitive list of who matters on Twitter

Thanks to Peter Cleary for including SCLLN on his Listorious Adult Literacy list:

sclln literacy
Adult and Family Literacy in Southern California libraries. Learn To Read. Volunteer as a literacy tutor at your local public library !
142 followers Follow

Check 'Em Out and Follow !

Larry Ferlazzo
Inner-city High School teacher -- ESL & Mainstream
4,692 followers Follow


Ben Merrion
The Jackie Chan of adult literacy - I do my own stunts. Blog for http://dclearns.org Into social justice issues and on the board of @hollabackdc
1,007 followers Follow


nzchrissy
aka: TeachingSagittarian, on a web2.0 learning journey to flatten walls of classroom
731 followers Follow


Florida Literacy Coa
The Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) promotes, supports, and advocates the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy programs.
581 followers Follow


Nashville Literacy
Follow us to find out more about Adult Literacy and English Language Learners in Nashville!
425 followers Follow


Jan_Gallagher
communications strategist, writer, editor, web content manager, mostly for nonprofits
327 followers Follow


Kate Marshall
Creator of guided journals for people with life stories, love and wisdom to share. Coordinator of adult literacy program. Wife, mom, sister, daughter, friend.
313 followers Follow


MN Literacy Council
The Minnesota Literacy Council provides free adult basic education classes for immigrants, refugees and life-long Minnesotans. Email us at volunteer@themlc.org
313 followers Follow


Literacy Center
Free, Confidential Reading Instruction for Adults
285 followers Follow


Literacy Assist. Ctr
Literacy is more than the ability to read a book. It is the ability to open new worlds.
247 followers Follow


OLC
Ontario Literacy Coalition is a not-for-profit organization that makes adult learning opportunities possible by inspiring ideas and informing action.
243 followers Follow


Patti Groce
Trainer for adult literacy volunteers.
241 followers Follow


Literacy Kansas City
Our mission is to advance literacy among Kansas City area adults through direct services, advocacy and collaboration. Our vision is literacy for all!
209 followers Follow


Johanna Stirling
Teacher / teacher trainer / materials writer / presenter. Strangely interested in teaching spelling, also ICT and EFL generally.
167 followers Follow


VA Adult Literacy
159 followers Follow


AlphaPlus Centre
A non-profit organization committed to advancing adult basic education through the smart use of readily available Web-based technology.
142 followers Follow


TarrantLit Coalition
Making literacy programs strong and relevant, enabling high quality instruction, investing in knowledge, & addressing the silent adult literacy crisis
134 followers Follow


Leah Tremain
Literacy information for families. I Love When You Read, The Literacy of Video Games, I Love When We Count are just a few DVD's we've created.
134 followers Follow


Voices4Literacy
ProLiteracy champions the power of literacy to improve the lives of adults and their families, communities, and societies.
117 followers Follow


United Literacy
UL encourages the use of technology to help adult learners on their road to literacy.
95 followers Follow


Joyce Whidden
I'm the Executive Director of the Adult Literacy League, which supports and develops individuals who want to improve their English reading and writing skills.
41 followers Follow


Peter Cleary
Adult Education, Adult Literacy, Lifelong Learning
31 followers Follow


Adult Literacy
The Clarksville Montgomery County Adult Literacy Council provides free one-to-one instruction to adults who want to learn to read or to improve reading skills.
17 followers Follow

San Luis Obispo City-County Library - Fµ¥å¬ µniº ø't†ß - Can't read that? Now you know how it feels.

Fµ¥å¬ µniº ø't†ß
Can't read that? Now you know how it feels.
New Times: March 30, 2010 by Glen Starkey

If you’re reading this right now, count yourself lucky: You’re not among the estimated 21 to 23 percent of American adults who are either wholly illiterate, functionally illiterate (those who might be able to understand a couple thousand words memorized by sight in grade school but who are unable to understand such basic written instructions as warning labels or driving directions), or have substandard reading skills that negatively affect their earnings.

Studies suggest that among these semi-literate 40- to 44-million American adults, even those who possess some reading skills may lack the ability to locate information in text or make low-level inferences from printed materials.

As a reader, you might think, “Oh, well. That’s their problem, not mine,” but American illiteracy affects us all. A literate workforce is a productive workforce, and semi-literate workers earn far below their literate counterparts, meaning they don’t contribute effectively to our economy.

Furthermore, Americans with reading deficiencies are more likely to require such social services as welfare, food stamps, and Section 8 subsidized housing. They’re more likely to be unable to afford health insurance. They don’t have the means to further their education to improve their condition. In other words, not only are they a drag on the economy, tax dollars may subsidize their needs. Luckily, there’s an organization that does something about this problem.

The Literacy Council of SLO County estimates there are as many as 25,000 functionally illiterate adults in the county. While many of the Literacy Council’s clients are English as a Second Language (ESL) learners, some are native speakers who simply never learned to read and write. For many of them, the hardest step to improving their reading and writing skills is admitting they have a problem and seeking help. READ MORE !

CA & National Literacy Calendar: April 2010

California Literacy Calendar: April 2010

SCLLN Literacy & Library Events & Conferences

-local, California and National Conferences-

visit

Southern California Library Literacy Network

for more information

Updates of Tutor Training Workshops Scrolling in Left Frame

Local and California Literacy Events
Apr 10 9am: Sensory Friendly Films: How Train Your Dragon
AMC Covina Ontario Mills Orange SD Torrance Woodland Hills
Apr 10: Literary Orange – Festival of Authors = UC Irvine
Apr 10 10am: Learning Disabilities Adult Support = Providence Tarzana Medical
Apr 16: Day in the District w/ CA State Legislators = Sacto
Apr 19+ Remediation for Dyslexia = OnLine CYBERSPACE
Apr 22: Read For Life - Kern Literacy = Bakersfield Bell Tower
Apr 22-25: CATESOL State Conference = Santa Clara
Apr 24: Law & Rights: Navigating Public Education = California Lutheran
Apr 26 7:30: Learning Disabilities Parent Support Group = Sherman Oaks
Apr 29+ Days Village of Tales Storytelling Festival = Ojai

National Literacy Events
National Poetry Month
Apr 2: International Children's Book Day
Apr 8+ Global Language Convention = Melbourne AU
Apr 10 10am: Sensory Friendly Films
How to Train Your Dragon AMC theaters around the country
Apr 11+ National Library Week
Apr 11+ National Conference on Family Literacy = San Antonio TX
Apr 12: Drop Everything & Read Day
Apr 12: Young People's Poetry Week
Apr 12+ Computers in Libraries = Arlington VA
Apr 21+ Mountain Plains Adult Ed Conf = Tempe AZ
Apr 23+ Latino Children's Literature Conference = University of Alabama
Apr 25+ IRA Annual Conference = Chicago, Illinois
Apr 28+ Solutions for Assistive Technology Conference = Baton Rouge LA
Apr 29: ClearMark Awards-Plain Language = Washington DC
Apr 29+ American Occupational Therapy Assoc = Orlando FL