Pasadena Library - Guest View: Can computers replace a tutor?

Guest View: Can computers replace a tutor?
SGV Tribune: 11.23.2011 by Robert Lang

As a longstanding Pasadena Library volunteer, I have a bone to pick. I have chosen to do so publicly because I believe the issues involved go to the core of the "what, me worry?" attitude that is turning many of our public service employees into work-to-rule adversaries instead of the helpful civil servants we pay them to be.

A few months ago, the Pasadena Library system disbanded its group of 30-odd adult literacy tutors and replaced them with computer terminals. Disbelieving, I contacted the Pasadena Reads program coordinator and learned, not surprisingly, that the decision was budget-driven. Fair enough, I thought, we all have to deal with limited resources these days, but what if I were to volunteer my services on a 20-hour-a-week basis as the new administrator for the program? I put the offer in writing and asked that it be forwarded to the library's decision maker.

Having worked with several adult literacy students over the years, my wife and I have learned many lessons. First is the fact that men and women brave enough to do something about their illiteracy need and deserve a living, breathing teacher to provide the skills, feedback, praise and encouragement they must have to succeed. For all the good a completely computer-based literacy program will do them, they might just as well be tossed into a pit of vipers. You think you have a fear of computers? Try using one without being able to read the words in front of you.

Over the years, Pasadena Reads has had a dramatic impact on the lives of many our educational system has left behind. A shocking number of learners have completed junior high; some have high school diplomas. In less than 30 months, one student progressed from stumbling over a first-grade workbook to actively participating in a group discussions sponsored by Pasadena's One City, One Story program. Another student swelled with pride when two years of hard work paid off with a 50 per centage point improvement in his civil service test score. READ MORE !

Libraries Are Essential Public Goods

Why It's Time To Speak Up For Our Libraries
Huffington Post: 11.15.2011 by Andrew Losowsky

Libraries are essential public goods.

Like our public parks and museums, public libraries are free, non-commercial gathering places for everyone, regardless of income. If information is power, then libraries are the essence of democracy and freedom. In these times of economic difficulty, more people are using them than ever, to do more than merely check out books.

Yet our nation's public libraries appear to be under threat by a litany of cuts, forced upon them by state and local committees, cuts that often began before the recent economic downturn. In a survey conducted by the Library Journal, 93% of large libraries reported having laid off staff, cut their opening hours, or both. In several states, including Indiana and Michigan, library branches have permanently closed their doors.

In a new Huffington Post series called Libraries In Crisis, we'll be looking at how today's libraries are about more than books. We'll show how they can be a community resource where reliable information and guidance is provided, free of bias and commercial influence.

This occasional series will look at the economic reasons for the current situation, and its consequences throughout the country. It will showcase models for library evolution, and hear from prominent voices about what makes a viable and vital library system. READ MORE !

Read the first piece in this series, "The Death Of The Public Library?"

California Library Funding in Jeopardy

LIBRARY FUNDING IN JEOPARDY
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED !“Spare Public Libraries From the Trigger!”

The Director of the Department of Finance asserted that the legislation, AB 121, gives the Department very little flexibility and “wiggle room.”

Libraries would have to be part of a larger, alternative compromise proposal.

If the trigger is pulled, there may be other options, including asking the legislature or the Governor to replace the $15.2 million during next year’s Budget deliberations.

For any of these efforts to work, pressure must be brought to bear by our strong grass roots library supporters.CALL – FAX - WRITE

Governor
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento CA 95814
916 . 445 . 2841

Find your Assembly Member or State Senator

St Sen Darrell Steinberg
St Sen Bob Dutton
Assemblyman John A. Perez
Assemblywoman Connie Conway

Altogether, the new budget makes California a far meaner place than before. That's not exactly what Brown promised while campaigning at this time last year, but it's what we've got now.

Huntington Beach Library - Literacy Celebrates 27th Anniversary

Literacy Celebrates 27th AnniversaryOpen Doors: September.2011

Literacy Volunteers-HBPL celebrated 27 years of teaching, learning and multi-cultural goodwill by honoring volunteers and adult learners at Central Library.

One 20-year tutor, five 15-year volunteers, four 10-year volunteers and seven five-year volunteers received pins and certificates. Outgoing board members Jerry Aspland and Mary Tamulaitis were thanked for their years of service. Principal Librarian Mary Wilson, Senior Librarian Kevin Moran, and Library Board member Dionne Cox attended the event.

The awards for Tutor and Learner of the year went to Mimi Juarez and Scott Sherman. Five Adult Learner Awards were presented:

Outstanding Achievement: June L, tutored by Corey Robb
Reading Award: Huong L, tutored by Rosemarie LeFort
Outstanding Writer: Margarita C, tutored by Linda Kimes
Persistence Award: Akiko K, tutored by Jennifer Shim
Outstanding Progress: Chase P, tutored by Jan Murphy

This fiscal year Literacy Volunteers at Central and Oak View Libraries served 600 volunteers and adult students, donating more than 15,000 hours of service to the community, the work of more than seven full-time people. Total literacy attendance including tutoring and family literacy story times exceeded 32,000. Since 1984, 5,799 literacy volunteers have helped 6,692 adult literacy students improve their skills. READ MORE !

Literacy Jobs : November

New Jobs in Literacy: November

Learner Web-California Project Manager (Part-Time)
LEAP, Richmond, 440 Civic Center Plaza
Application Deadline: ASAP
Project Duration (November 2011- August 31, 2012)
Working under the supervision of the LEAP Program Manger, the Project Manager can demonstrate experience in the following:
•Launching a short-term project that involved multiple partners and sites
•Understanding, implementing appropriate technology to facilitate communications
•Quickly learning technology to be able to assist others with its application
•Comfortable with the administration side of a Learning Management System
•Evaluation of the project
•Providing logistical and administrative support in the planning of meetings/trainings
•Familiarity with adult literacy preferred
•Bi-lingual, bi-cultural preferred

AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator
Reach Out & Read - LA and Orange Counties
Application Deadling: Dec 9
Assist with Program Quality, and recruit Reach Out and Read volunteer readers for use in community clinics at NEVHC, train them in the ROR model and assist in their supervision. In addition, the Coordinator will, in conjunction with the Reach Out and Read Program Director and NEVHC Grant Writers, assist in raising funds to purchase books and securing in-kind donations of books and resources.

AmeriCorps VISTA Early Literacy Community Outreach CoordinatorTHINK Together - Santa Ana, CA
Application Deadline: Nov 10support the project focusing on the coordination of collaborative partner activities, managing communications and outreach, and management of volunteer solutions. The member will support developing mutually beneficial partnerships with local universities, businesses, and groups and creating a more structured system of outreach which includes volunteer recruitment, training and placement as well as supporting community events.

AmeriCorps Literacy Tutor
MAAC – San Diego area
Application Deadline: Until Filled
literacy tutoring, creating youth leadership opportunities, and leading youth and adults in service learning activities. Members will also assist families/individuals with asset building and income supports services


AmeriCorps Early LiteracyFirst 5 – California
Application Deadline: Until FilledAmeriCorps Members serve in 11 diverse counties, providing crucial skill-building activities to 2-5 year olds who are at risk for low performance upon kindergarten entry. Members engage children in direct developmental activities to help children gain access to the knowledge and skills necessary for success.

CA & National Literacy Calendar: November 2011

California Literacy Calendar: November 2011

SCLLN

Literacy & Library Events & Conferences

- local, California and National -

visit the

Southern California Library Literacy Network

for more information

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

Southern California Literacy Events: November 2011
Nov. 1 National Family Literacy Day
Nov. 2 Ladies, Lunch, and Literacy Manhattan Beach 10:30am
Nov. 4+ California Reading Assc. PDI Vacaville CA
Nov. 5 Fall Literacy Conference - South Bay Literacy Council
Nov. 5 Fall Gala: Children’s Literature Council of Southern California 12:30pm
Nov. 5 Autism Sensory Friendly Films: PUSS IN BOOTS 10am
Nov. 8 COME FLY AWAY - San Diego Council on Literacy 7pm
Nov. 9 San Luis Obispo Poetry Festival 7pm
Nov. 12 National Gaming Day @ Your LibraryNov. 19 Tellabration - Saturday before Thanksgiving
Nov. 28+ Reading Comprehension Strategies = On Line Cyberspace

California Literacy Events: November 2011
Nov. 1 National Family Literacy Day
Nov. 5 Catesol Regional - Northern California UC Davis
Nov. 10 SCLLN Professional Development Day @ CLA Pasadena CA
Nov. 11+ California Library Association Conference Pasadena
Nov. 12 CLA Keynote Presentation Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D. 8:30am
Nov. 11+ California School Library Association Conference Pasadena CA
Nov. 12 National Gaming Day @ Your Library

National & International Literacy Events: November 2011Nov. 1 National Family Literacy DayNov. 2+ Library 2.011 Worldwide Virtual Conference CyberSpace
Nov. 2+ ProLiteracy Conference USCAL Houston TX
Nov. 3+ Assistive Technology Industry Assn Conference Chicago
Nov. 3 Learning Disabilities Worldwide Conference Purchase NY
Nov. 5 Autism Sensory Friendly Films: PUSS IN BOOTS 10am
Nov. 9+ CAEL International Conference Chicago
Nov. 9+ International Dyslexia Association Conference Chicago IL
Nov.9+ National Black Storytelling Festival Atlanta
Nov. 10+ Reading Intervention Conference for Grades K-12 Jackson, Mississippi
Nov. 12 National Gaming Day @ Your LibraryNov. 13+ Connecticut Children's Book Fair University of Conneticut
Nov. 15+ Summer Changes Everything Conference San FranciscoNov. 18+ National Council of Teachers of English Orland FL
Nov. 19+ ACTFL Convention Boston MA
Nov. 19 Tellabration
Nov. 30+ LRA National Reading Conference Jacksonville FL
Nov. 30+ TASH Annual Conference Atlanta GA

Monrovia Library - Monrovia Volunteer Dedicated to Literacy

Monrovia Volunteer Dedicated to Literacy
Joan Sinsheimer has been a longtime volunteer for literacy in Monrovia.
Monrovia.Patch.com: 10.21.2011 by Alison Roeske

Artist, tutor, and fitness buff Joan Sinsheimer has traveled the world, but nowadays, she spends much of her free time at the library teaching people how to read.

She has dedicated many hours over the years to tutoring adults enrolled in Monrovia Public Library’s Literacy Services program and children in the Monrovia school district. Sinsheimer first began volunteering at Monroe Elementary because of a friend she met at her gym, Movement Unlimited.

“One of the reading specialists asked me if I wanted to be a volunteer,” said Sinsheimer. “I just wanted to contribute to the community.”

At first, Sinsheimer volunteered with Monroe Elementary’s Language Arts program, where she helped students focus on reading texts, improving their reading comprehension, and increasing their vocabulary.

Sinsheimer began working with Literacy Services when the old Monrovia Public Library building was still standing. She appreciates the new library, which she said is larger and has more access to technology. She has tutored numerous adults through Literacy Service’s program over the years.

“I like the flexibility of it. I can meet whenever it’s convenient with my student,” she said. “My student reads to me a lot. I pick words that are unfamiliar to her and she writes sentences from the new words.”

Currently, Sinsheimer works with a cosmetology student who emigrated from Mexico.

“I’ve always liked libraries, I’ve always liked schools, and I’ve always liked fitness. Those are things I seek wherever I go,” she said. READ MORE !