SCLLN Member Page

SCLLN Member Page

We have a page of our SCLLN member libraries.

The page has links and phone numbers for each library.

Look for it across the top of the blog.

More Pages - Coming Soon !

Corona Library :: John Zickefoose Learned To Read At 35, Now Shares His Literacy Struggle With Kids

From illiterate to role model
Once, John Zickefoose couldn't read to his children or order from a menu. Today, he's a school board member and Corona library advocate.
LA Times: January 5, 2011 by Carla Rivera

The metamorphosis is as quick as the turn of a page: John Zickefoose is a hyperactive goose, a laid-back bear, a monkey, a tiger. The children at the Corona Public Library squeal with laughter as the man whose name rhymes with Seuss becomes louder and more animated.

There was a time when reading the simple words of a picture book would have proved impossible for Zickefoose. He spent years in school overwhelmed with sadness that nothing came as easily to him as it did for others. He would become rowdy, preferring to be kicked out of class than to be called on by the teacher.

Zickefoose was functionally illiterate, unable to read a prescription label, his children's report cards or a menu. He was diagnosed as a young boy with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and didn't learn to read and write until he was 35.

That's when everything changed. He became a poster boy for the Corona library's adult reading program, began to speak publicly about his own struggles and was named the library's literacy director. He founded a nonprofit youth organization.

And on Dec. 7, Zickefoose, 52, was sworn in as a member of the Corona-Norco Unified School District Board of Education.

For the boy who couldn't understand the words on his high school diploma, the journey to the school board was the culmination of a vow to do something meaningful in life and help prevent others from starting out as he did.

"I'll be able to bring, quite frankly, an unusual perspective of what it feels like to be in the classroom and be a failure," Zickefoose said. "I don't want any child to go through what I went through."

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An estimated 30 million American adults can't read a newspaper or fill out a job application. Many have learning disabilities. Others are dropouts, victims of failing school systems. Some are immigrants with deficient English language skills who may also be illiterate in their native tongues.

But Zickefoose is also an anomaly. Only about 5% of adults who need services receive them, mainly because there is still so much shame attached to the condition, said David C. Harvey, president and chief executive of ProLiteracy, an international advocacy group. Zickefoose serves on the board of directors.

"John is a national role model because one of the most effective ways to break down that stigma is to have people who have had this problem talk about it," Harvey said. "He's a shining example of what can happen when someone gets services and puts those new skills to work."

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Now outreach coordinator at the library, Zickefoose appears to be straight-arrow, business-minded, even professorial. But his tie, with an imprint of the Looney Tunes' Tasmanian Devil, hints at a whimsical nature.

He formed UNITY (United Neighbors Involving Today's Youth) in 1996, and it has evolved into a coalition of 80 public and private agencies that have secured more than $17 million for the Corona-Norco school district. A generation of students know him as Mr. Z from his appearances at school assemblies where he preaches perseverance, using his own life as an example.

As a school board member, Zickefoose wants to prepare students earlier for college and a career and to pursue more outside funds for such school programs as arts and music. READ MORE !

Santa Barbara Library - Program Wins Community Service Award !

Program Wins Community Service Award !
Santa Barbara Literacy Newsletter: March 2011

We are delighted to share the news that the Dyslexia Awareness and Resource Center (DARC) and its Board of Directors have chosen the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Adult Literacy Program to receive their annual “Vision and Task” Service Award, honoring the organization’s consistent endeavors and commitment to the adults of our community with learning disabilities.

“Words cannot express how appreciative we are of your organization’s dedication and commitment over the years to the adults of our community whom it is the Center’s mission to help. We cannot think of a more worthy recipient of this year’s award,” states DARC Founder and Program Director Joan Esposito and Executive Director Leslie Esposito.

The Santa Barbara Public Library’s Adult Literacy Program will be honored during an award luncheon at the 15th Annual “Vision and Task” Conference, Saturday, March 19, at the Marjorie Luke Theater. The conference’s main speaker is Rick Lavoie, a nationally known expert on working with children with learning disabilities. Many of you will recognize Lavoie as the teacher in the “How Difficult Can This Be” videos about learning disabilities that we have often shown in training programs.

The Santa Barbara Public Library System has been matching adult learners with trained volunteers since 1987 for free, confidential tutoring in reading, writing and basic math skills. The program has enabled over 2700 adult learners to improve basic skills necessary for employment, daily living, and reading for enjoyment. Over a thousand local adults have volunteered as one-to-one tutors to help other adults read to children, prepare to enroll in college, become citizens, and earn a GED, among other goals. READ MORE !

California Budget Update: March 16

California Budget Update
Mar 16 - Sacramento

~ approved 20 pieces of legislation that enacts some of the cuts called for in the Governor's budget.
~ approved billions of dollars in cuts to welfare, medical programs for the poor and in-home care for the elderly and frail, among other services

Didn't approve the budget, that vote may come as early as today.

The cuts and money transfers approved Wednesday are (Neon Tommy):
SB 72 - Human Services - $1.7 Billion
CalWORKS grants; Care time through in-home supportive services; Supplemental social security payments would be reduced.
SB 74 -Developmental Services - $750 Million
SB 80 - Misc. - $230 Million
About $101 million in Indian casino revenues would be sent to the general fund in each of the next five years.
SB 82 (AB 106)
Allows the state to borrow money and defer payments to entities such as colleges.
AB 97 - Health Care Cuts - $1.8 Billion (SB 73)
AB 99 - Cigarette Tax Fund Shift - $1 Billion (SB 75)
AB 100 - Mental Health Care - $860 Million (SB 76)
AB 105 - Transportation Fund Shift- $1 Billion (SB 81)
scheduled to reconvene Thursday to tackle Redevelopment Agencies as well as Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to ask voters to approve a temporary extension of sales, income and vehicle taxes set to expire this year.

READ MORE @ Neon Tommy
the online publication of the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism

2010 Writer To Writer Awards - SCLLN

2010 Writer To Writer Awards
Southern California Library Literacy Network
Literacy Conference

Level 1: Emerging Writers
Winner - Ramon G, Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
1st Runner Up - Dominique C, READ/San Diego
2nd Runner Up - Ashley P, Newport Beach Public Library

Level 2: Beginning Writers
Winner - Maria A, READ/San Diego
1st Runner Up - Leticia B, Los Angeles Public Library
2nd Runner Up - Carmen C, Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Level 3: Intermediate Writers
Winner - Kim A, Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
1st Runner Up - Margarita C, Huntington Beach Library
2nd Runner Up - Alma G, City of Imperial Public Library 

Level 4: Advanced Writers
Winner - Dee T, Glendale Public Library
1st Runner Up - Therese L, Los Angeles Public Library
2nd Runner Up - Hun L, READ/Orange County

Learners write a letter to an author of a book telling them how the book influenced their lives. Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony that will take place during the lunchtime program at the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN) Literacy Conference March 5.

The winners received $100, a plaque, a journal and a pen.
The runners-up received $25, a certificate, a journal and a pen.
Their letters were published in a book and will be posted on the SCLLN website and blog. Watch for them.

Congratulations all !

BUDGET COMMITTEE SAVES LIBRARY FROM ELIMINATION

BUDGET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SAVES LIBRARY PROGRAMS FROM ELIMINATIONBudget Bills Head To The Floors Next Week
CLA: 3.03.11 by Mike Dillon and Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyists

This afternoon the powerful 10 member Budget Conference Committee put their final mark on a massive reduction and revenues package, addressing the Governor’s plan to close a whopping $26 billion Budget deficit. One of their final actions was approving a “Conference Compromise” to spare the three library programs – the Public Library Foundation, the California Library Services Act, and the State literacy program, from elimination. You will recall that the Governor’s January Budget recommended complete elimination of $30.4 million for these three programs, which would also jeopardize millions in federal dollars associated with the CLSA. The Assembly Version of the Budget sought to spare the three programs from deep cuts, while the Senate initially agreed to accept the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the programs. And so, when the Conference Committee met this afternoon, they formally approved an action to keep the following dollar amounts in these three programs:

“Conference Compromise”
~ $8.5 million in the California Library Services Act
(at this funding level, also allows the State Library to maintain its federal MOE/match)
~ $3.7 million in the California Library Literacy Services program
~ $3 million in the Public Library Foundation

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. . . many of the items being voted on in the Conference Committee have received votes that are split along party-lines. We believe that the strong bipartisan vote on our three items will certainly help to encourage the Governor to leave the $15.2 million in the Budget for these programs.

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The intention is for the Assembly and Senate to vote on the Budget bills next week. We will give you information on Monday regarding contacting the Governor to encourage him to leave the $15.2 million in the Budget for library funding.

Orange Co Library - Profile: READ Jr. Tutor Vyvy Pham

Profile: READ Jr. Tutor Vyvy Pham
Read Writes: Feb/Mar 2011

You have often heard us talking in recent years about READ Jr, the new program designed to help our learners with grade school aged children. In this program, teen tutors work with adult learners and their children aged 6-12 years old to help them learn together as a family. The children get direct help with their reading and writing skills, while the parents learn how to better support their children in school. The program has generated a lot of excitement, and we are always looking for new tutors and learner families to help it take off! Here are the words of Vyvy Pham, one of our original READ Jr. tutors:

I first heard of this program through Carol Tsai during the summer going into my junior year. Right before the summer started, I was told by my guidance counselor that I needed community service to make my transcript look better, so I applied as a volunteer for the Friends of the Library Bookstore. Carol Tsai, the volunteer coordinator at the time, gave me my weekly shift at the bookstore for the summer. When I met her for the first time, I asked her if she knew of another way to earn even more community service hours on top of the library shifts. She then told me about how she was trying to get a program to start and that I should attend the first meeting. READ MORE !