Monrovia Library - Local Volunteers Promote Literacy at the Library

Local Volunteers Promote Literacy at the Library
Monrovia Patch: 2.28.11 by Christine Langteau

American-born Christine Langteau and Korean-born Grace Kim are two longtime California residents from different cultures who meet every week as tutor and student in the Monrovia Public Library’s Literacy Program.

"The best way to learn is to meet with a person who speaks English as much as I can," said Kim.

Langteau, who also works in the Los Angeles Law Library in the Pomona courthouse, said part of her interest in the literacy program came from seeing her daughter’s challenges with learning how to read. That made her appreciate how difficult English can be for any learner, from native speakers to ESL students.

"Having seen that, I come at it from a different perspective," said Langteau.

Langteau and Kim have been working together for almost a year. When they began, they focused on working out of a Voyager series library workbook for three months.

"Actually, I noticed I picked up a lot of words I didn’t know before," said Kim. Langteau said that while the Voyager series was helpful, some terms in the stories were not commonly used today. Kim said she felt she needed more that applied to her real life, so Langteau brought newspaper articles for them to go over together.

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In the senior adult day care where she works, Kim usually speaks Korean with her coworkers, but at times, she has helped them with English. For example, at election time, Kim read the propositions on the ballots and translated them for her coworkers. Reading the more formal writing was less challenging for Kim than reading the slang and idiom-soaked articles in the L.A. Times.

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One very meaningful experience that Langteau and Kim shared was when Langteau helped Kim write a letter in English to her son for his birthday.

Kim said her children have often been very helpful in explaining new English words to her. But now, she doesn’t want to ask them to help with her English anymore. She feels motivated to learn more English on her own, so she can impress them with her language skills.

"The reality is that we are living in America. Wherever we go, we are required to speak English. Whether we go to the market or DMV, that’s the reality," said Kim. She says the tutoring sessions with Langteau have helped improve her English on many levels.

"I feel confidence," Kim said. "Whenever I don’t know, I ask her. Sometimes I send text messages." READ MORE !

CA & National Literacy Calendar: March 2011

California Literacy Calendar: March 2011

SCLLN

Literacy & Library Events & Conferences
- local, California and National -

visit

Southern California Library Literacy Network

for more information

Info about local Tutor Training Workshops is always Scrolling in the Right Frame.

Local and California Literacy Events: March 2011
Mar 1: Dyslexia: What Can Teachers Do = Webinar @ 6PM
Mar 2: Read Across America Day
Mar 3: Strategies Students Stuggling Reading & Writing = Arcadia
Mar 4+: TASH Annual Conference = Irvine
Mar 4+: Charlotte S Huck Children's Literature Festival = Univ of Redlands
Mar 5: SCLLN Literacy Conference = Buena Park
Mar 7: Overview of Orton Gillingham – Online
Mar 7: Strategies, Activities, Tools for Teaching Gifted Students = San Diego
Mar 8: YES on Measure L = Save Los Angeles Libraries
Mar 8: Strategies, Activities, Tools for Teaching Gifted Students = Monrovia
Mar 10: Intro to Dyslexia = Webinar @ 6PM
Mar 12: Literary Women - Long Beach Festival of Authors
Mar 12: Sensory Friendly Films MARS NEEDS MOMS = AMC theaters @ 10 AM
Mar 14+: Intl Technology & Disabilities Conference = San Diego
Mar 17+: California Language Teachers Assn Conference = Santa Clara
Mar 17+: CUE Conference = Palm Springs
Mar 18: Future for Public Education in California = Irvine
Mar 19: Dyslexia Awareness Resource Center Conf = Santa Barbara
Mar 23+: CABE Conference = Long Beach Convention Center
Mar 29: Learning Disability Advocacy: FAQs IEPs - Webinar
Mar 29: What's NEW in Children's Literature = Arcadia
Mar 30: Strategies Before They Fall Too Far Behind in Reading = Arcadia
Mar 30: What's New in Young Adult Literature = Anaheim
Mar 31: What's NEW in Children's Literature = Sunnyvale

National Literacy Events: March 2011
Mar 2: Read Across America Day
Mar 2+: Early Education Technology for Children = Salt Lake City
Mar 10+: Lindamood-Bell Conference = Anaheim
Mar 12: Sensory Friendly Films MARS NEEDS MOMS = AMC theaters @ 10 AM
Mar 16+: TESOL Annual Convention = New Orleans
Mar 26+: Latino Book & Family Festival = Cicero IL

Demand for adult literacy rises as funding threatened - Corona Library - Hemet Library

Demand for adult literacy rises as funding threatened
Press Enterprise: 2.23.11 by Dayna Straehley

John Zickefoose's interest in education and literacy is personal.

After struggling with dyslexia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder from elementary through high school, he finally turned for help to the library where he now works.

He was 35 years old and could no longer work in his home-repair business because he needed back surgery and a new career. His 7-year-old son read better than he could.

So 17 years ago he walked in the Corona Library and embarked on a journey of literacy.

Today, Zickefoose is on the board of an international literacy organization and the Corona-Norco Unified School District. He is outreach coordinator at the Corona Public Library.

"I owe my life to this library," he said. "It totally transformed me as a human being."

Such transformations could become more elusive as governments struggle to balance the budgets. Demand for adult literacy services in the Inland area is higher than ever, but funding cuts threaten the programs run from public libraries.

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Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget would eliminate the $4.5 million the state provides to adult literacy programs such as the one at Corona's library.

Inland coordinators don't know how they will keep their programs going without state money.

"For every $1 of state funds, $4 of private donations are leveraged," said David Harvey, president and CEO of ProLiteracy. The international organization supports programs at the local level. It offers advocacy assistance as well as reading materials for adult learners.

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SMALL BUDGET, BIG RESULTS

Lori Eastman, literacy coordinator for Hemet Public Library Adult Literacy Services, said Zickefoose's beginning on the road to literacy is typical, although he has gone further than most. Adults are most often in their 30s or 40s, forced to make a career change and embarrassed because they can't help their children, she said.

Four adult learners in Hemet echoed many of the same frustrations that brought them to seek help learning to read and write better, although they wouldn't give their full names because they too are embarrassed about their disabilities. They said they wanted to help their children with their schoolwork and set a better example. They told of lifelong learning difficulties.

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Eastman said the city of Hemet supplements the $30,000 that comes from the state. Supplies come from donations and fundraisers, she said.

Corona Library Director Julie Frederickson said she is hopeful that community donors and the city will keep the literacy program afloat if state funding is cut.

Harvey was less optimistic.

He said the state funds are seed money for all of the libraries' and literacy programs' fundraising efforts.

"The private sector is never going to be able to replace the publicly funded core," Harvey said. READ MORE !

Save California Library Literacy Funding: Feb 23 Update

SAVE PUBLIC LIBRARY FUNDING !
Letters, Phone Calls, Faxes, Emails

February 22 - March 1

Budget Conference Committees to meet for the next 6 days before going to a potential vote on the Floor by the end of next week.

Gov Brown hopes to have a final spending proposal before the full Legislature by March 10.

Senate Budget Comm: Leno/Huff
Assembly Budget Comm: Blumenfield/Nielsen
Senate Appropriations Comm: Kehoe/Walters
Assembly Appropriations Comm: Fuentes/Harkey

This morning (CLA Blog), Budget Conference Committee Chairman, Bob Blumenfield noted that the BCC would attempt to meet for 6 days only, with a potential vote on the Floors by the end of next week. In your letters or phone calls, please request the following action of the Conferees:

"I respectfully urge your support of the Assembly Version of the Budget, pertaining to the three issues in the State Library Budget: the California Library Services Act, the Public Library Foundation, and the California Library Literacy Services program."

In your calls and letters please indicate why elimination of these programs (per the Senate version) would:

1) destroy the cooperative lending and loaning system of books and materials in California,

2) could lead to a system where non-residents are denied access to library materials or asked to pay for a library card costing upwards of $100,

3) would put in jeopardy almost $17 million in corresponding federal funds,

4) deny literacy services to more than 20,000 adult learners annually who potentially would have no other alternative for seeking these services locally, and

5) denies local assistance dollars for libraries who have already suffered mightily with the state and local funding cuts over the past few years.

[Please refer to any of these issues that are most important for your particular area of interest]

Faxes, Phone Calls, Letters and e-mails are Most Important !

on February 18, 2011
Assembly: Recommended Minimal Cuts
Senate: Recomemended Elimination of all Funding

Save California Public Library and Literacy Funding

CA Budget UPDATE: Assembly Minimal Cuts - Senate Eliminate All Funds

ASSEMBLY PROPOSES ONLY MINIMAL CUTS; THE SENATE RECOMMENDS ELIMINATION OF ALL FUNDS
CLA Blog: 2.18.11 by Mike Dillon & Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyists

ASSEMBLY PROPOSES MINIMAL CUTS TO LIBRARY PROGRAMS:

Today, the Assembly Budget Committee made a strong statement in favor of the protection of the California Library Services Act and the Public Library Foundation by reducing these two programs that were proposed for complete elimination ($12.9 million and $12.9 million respectively) by only $1.5 million each. The Committee recommendation leaves intact the $4.6 million in funding for the California Library Literacy Program [English Acquisition and Literacy Program].

The official action the Assembly Budget Committee took today relative to the library funding is as follows:

"California State Library. Reductions. Reduces the magnitude of reductions to preserve the English Acquisition and Literacy Program, and reduces the Public Library Foundation and the California Library Services Act by $1.5 million each."

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The vote on the proposed action today was on a strict party-line vote, with all Democrats voting "aye" and Republicans voting "no."

SENATE PROPOSES ELIMINATION OF ALL $30.4 MILLION IN LIBRARY FUNDING

In stark contrast to the action by the Assembly today, yesterday the Senate Budget Committee voted to approve most of the Governor's Budget proposals "as is," including the proposed action relative to the CLSA, PLF, and literacy funding. The Senate's action adopts the Governor's proposal to totally eliminate the three library programs, for a scoring of $30.4 million.

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The Senate Budget Chair, Mark Leno stated, "This is not an easy decision for us and one that we need to take seriously." A member of the Committee then quickly made the motion to "support the Governor's proposal." Senators Lois Wolk, Joe Simitian, and Education Budget Subcommittee Chair Senator Carol Liu, all abstained from the vote. We were intrigued that there was no debate on the issue, which signaled to us that the vote was a larger statement about the Senate's intention to work with the Governor, make hard choices, and to continue the discussions regarding painful cuts to programs such as the libraries.

NEXT STEPS - ITEMS HEAD TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Due to the different actions between the two houses relative to the library programs and their funding levels, this will force these three issues into "Conference Committee."

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Due to the truncated process this year, however, the Budget Conference Committee will begin meeting next week, likely on Wednesday. We will be waiting for official word from the Assembly Speaker and Senate President pro Tem regarding who the conferees will be and then we will give you instructions on how to contact these key legislators from each house. READ MORE !

SAVE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC LIBRARY FUNDING ! - Let-Them-Eat-Cake-Attitude Threatens to Destroy a Network of Public Assets

Let-Them-Eat-Cake-Attitude Threatens to Destroy a Network of Public Assets
Huffington Post: 2.15.11 by Scott Turow (President, Authors Guild)

While our economy seems to be slowly staggering back to its feet, state and municipal governments remain hard-hit as the result of lost tax revenues, lost stimulus money and pension fund payments that have grown to monstrous size to make up for the market losses of 2007 and 2008. Those governments are cutting everywhere they can and public libraries nationwide have been one of the biggest and least deserved losers in the process.

Widespread public access to knowledge, like public education, is one of the pillars of our democracy, a guarantee that we can maintain a well-informed citizenry.

But libraries seem to be losing out in the funding battles, due, in part, to the mistaken belief that they are somehow anachronistic in an age when so many Americans have instant computer access to information through the Internet. This is, frankly, a let-them-eat-cake-attitude that threatens to destroy a network of public assets that remains critical in our country.

Millions of Americans simply cannot afford to replace what libraries have traditionally offered for free -- access to books, computers and research assistance. Ironically, the importance of these services is even greater in a time of economic uncertainty.

For Americans facing job losses, working to gain new skills and seeking assistance in an increasingly digital world, U.S. public libraries are first responders. Two-thirds of libraries report they provide the only free access to computers and the Internet in their communities. Libraries function as crucial technology hubs, not merely for free Web access, but those who need computer training and assistance.

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For example, in California, Governor Brown's new proposed budget decreases General Fund assistance for public libraries by $30.4 million, eliminating the California Library Services Act, Public Library Foundation and the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services -- that is, access, resource sharing and adult literacy. In Texas, the cuts are even more stark, with the new budget proposing complete elimination of several programs that have either provided direct aid to libraries or irreplaceable programs, like those that created shared databases. Even in my own community, a small city on the northern edge of Chicago where a major university sits, my neighbors and I have been struggling to save a small branch library that was pivotal to the education of many neighborhood kids.

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I count myself as one of millions of Americans whose life simply would not be the same without the libraries that supported my learning. We cannot take that opportunity away from so many Americans who need that help urgently now. READ MORE !

Redlands Library - Literacy tutors help adults to improve their reading and writing

Literacy tutors help adults to improve their reading and writing
Redlands Daily Facts: 2.10.11
by Katherine Gifford (Volunteer Literacy)

Imagine receiving a Valentine from your child and not being able to read its sentiments.

"There is no age limit to learning to read and write," said Trudy Waldron, volunteer literacy coordinator for the Redlands Adult Literacy Program.

Recently, the Friends of the Library reactivated an adult literacy program as a core service at the library. The mission of the Redlands Adult Literacy Program is to provide professional one-on-one tutoring in reading and writing to adults, 18 years and older, seeking help in the community. The service to adult learners is confidential and free.

Diana Sommer, one of the literacy tutors, recently retired from teaching and working with International Students at the University of Redlands.

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The community should know how much adult literacy is needed. "Learners are not alone and help is available," Sommer said.

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The next tutor orientation meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. March 14, at the A.K. Smiley Library Assembly Room. If you are interested in volunteering or would like assistance in reading or writing, please contact a volunteer literacy coordinator at 909-798-7565 ext. 4138. READ MORE !