Los Angeles Public Library: It's A Match

It’s A Match

LAPL READ Newsletter:
Winter 2014



Cai’s Story by Learner, Cai Zhou

I urgently wanted to speak and write in English well in order to have better life in the United States. I have tried many ways to learn English since I immigrated to here from China in 2004. My English skill was not enough to have a job in a medical field. Especially communication with people in English made me feel down. I was disappointed with my broken English. How could I work out my problems I asked myself? I needed to get help. I went to Lincoln Heights Public Library in my neighborhood where I often go to read or borrow the books.

One day, I saw a thoughtful middle aged woman explaining something in a low voice to a foreign person like a teacher to a student. I walked quietly and asked curiously: “Are you teaching English?” Could I have a chance to learn from you?” The tutor said that the Adult Literacy program can help; she introduced Kathy Hall to me. I told her I needed to improve my English urgently. Then I did a pretest. She put me on a waiting list of Adult Literacy Program to have an English tutor.  READ MORE !

Megan’s Story by Tutor, Megan Duquette

Fortunate enough to have a father who instilled the value and importance of volunteerism in me early in life, one of the first things I sought out when I moved from Illinois to Los Angeles was volunteer opportunities. Finding the Adult Literacy Program was such a blessing, as is my student, Cai Zhou. My first meeting with Cai was on a beautiful fall day in 2011 in the garden outside of Union Station.

Having no previous experience teaching English to an adult learner, I was uncertain how our lessons would go. However, Cai’s willingness to learn, enthusiasm, and attentiveness quickly calmed my fears. Cai is committed to improving her patient care as a nurse through honing her English skills. We are both very busy and it takes a lot of puzzle piecing to get our schedules to align so that we can meet each week, but her dedication and warmth make it easy for me to stay committed and energized throughout our lessons.  READ MORE !

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Newport Beach Library: OASIS Graduating Class

An OASIS of Volunteer Tutors
Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy,
Literally Speaking: Mar/Apr 2014

OASIS—WINTER 2014 Congratulations to our first OASIS graduating class!

Late last year, Literacy Coordinator, Cherall Weiss, visited the OASIS Senior Center and gave a brief presentation at one of their monthly meetings to recruit new volunteer tutors.  The response was extremely positive and led to a new relationship between NMPL and OASIS. For the first time, both a Tutor Orientation and Tutor Training series were held at the Center.

As a result, we have eight new tutors who are committed to the program. The venue has also been opened up as an alternate location for our tutor-learner pairs to meet for weekly sessions. We are hoping to offer an OASIS Tutor Orientation and Tutor Training session at least two times a year. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with OASIS members!

'Spritzing' One Word at a Time !

CLICK 
take it for a test !

Spritz Reinvents Reading on Mobile Devices,

One Word at a Time

PRNewswire: 2.23.2014

Reading is inherently time consuming because your eyes have to move from word 2 word and line 2 line. Spritz streams text 1 word at a time, without forcing your eyes to spend time moving around the page. It enhances readability even more by using horizontal lines and hash marks to direct your eyes to the red letter in each word, so you can focus on the content that interests you.

Spritz enables the brain to focus on each word, promoting faster reading speeds and higher information retention rates.

Spritz technology currently supports English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Korean, with more languages on the way. With multiple reading speeds to match a user's comfort level ranging from 100 to 1000 words per minute, "spritzing" is easy to learn for all ages. Users typically become accustomed to reading in this new format within a few minutes of their first spritz. Available with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Gear 2 this Spring.  READ MORE !

Literacy Library Jobs = California: Salinas, South San Francisco, San Mateo

Literacy Jobs: California

Manager - Literacy Division - FT

South San Francisco Library

responsible for our Literacy Division, consisting of Project Read and the Community Learning Center

DEADLINE: March 31

Literacy Clerk: Temporary, Grant Funded

Salinas Library

variety of general and clerical duties, including those related to Literacy Services for the Library and Community Services Department

DEADLINE: Continuous

Literacy Specialist (Parent Educator)
12-Month, Grant-Funded Position

REQUIRES COMPLETION OF 12 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) UNITS

Salinas Library

collect parenting ladder data for reporting purposes and to implement early literacy playgroups in the library and/or a city recreation center using a pre-set curriculum that includes facilitating open play, singing songs, conducting story time and engaging with parents.

DEADLINE: Until Filled

Literacy Specialist - PT

San Mateo Library

coordinating an English as a Second Language program; conducting student, tutor, volunteer assessments and training; providing assistance in the daily operations of the adult literacy program.

DEADLINE: March 31

Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy Award: 2014

Outstanding Librarian
in Support of Literacy Award: 2014

The California Library Association Literacy Interest Group and California Library Literacy Services Invite Your Nominations.

Nominations must be received by March 28, 2014
Here’s your chance to recognize an exceptional librarian who demonstrates passion, excellence and dedication in support of literacy!

Purpose: This award is to recognize and honor a librarian who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to support literacy.

Eligibility: The nominee cannot be a literacy services staff person who already provides direct literacy services. The nominee can be someone who has performed one or more of the following services in support of literacy:
􀀳 Outreach
􀀳 Public Awareness
􀀳 Programming
􀀳 Collection Development
􀀳 Advocacy
􀀳 Fund Raising
􀀳 Recruitment
􀀳 Other – You name it ! ! !

Only one nomination per library jurisdiction is allowed.This is an individual award – nomination cannot be for a group.The winner will be honored at the CLA 2014 Conference in Oakland.

The winner receives a 1-year CLA Membership, a plaque, recognition on the CLA website and a gift certificate. Each nominee will receive a certificate of special recognition.

Past Winners:
2013: Patricia Noa, Regional Services Manager, Orange County Public Library
2012: Christy Aguirre, Sacramento Public Library
2011: Patricia Lorenzo, Santa Clara County Library District
2010: Anne Cain, Contra Costa County Library
2009: Derek Wolfgram, Santa Clara County Library
2008: Jean Hofacket, Alameda County Library
2007: Carol Starr, Marin County Free Library
2006: John M. Adams, Orange County Public Library
2005: Sofia Bellos, Oxnard Public Library
2004: Leslie McGinnis Rodd, Oakland Public Library
2003: Chuck Aston, Redwood City Public Library

Imperial Public Library - Imperial County adult literacy still a challenge Learning to read in the Imperial Valley

Imperial County adult literacy still a challenge

Learning to read in the Imperial Valley

Imperial Valley Press: 2.20.2014 by Heric Rubio

When Monica Woo came to the United States from Korea 15 years ago, the English language was as foreign to her as the country she was arriving in.

Even after becoming a citizen, it still took the El Centro resident a run-in with immigration officers before deciding to take on the task of learning the language.

“Two years ago I went to Korea and when I came back, immigration asked me what I had to declare, and I couldn’t answer,” Woo said.

So with the help of Adult Literacy Services at the Imperial Public Library, she embarked on a mission to not only speak, but read English as well, a decision that she says has left her feeling happier and more confident.

With the most recent Imperial County statistics available showing an illiteracy rate dangerously close to 50 percent, stories like Woo’s could likely be found throughout the Valley.

Last conducted in 2003, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy is a representative assessment of English literacy among American adults age 16 or older, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

During the assessment, 41 percent of Imperial County’s population at the time was lacking basic prose literacy skills; almost triple the national rate of 14 percent.

Prose literacy is the knowledge and skill to perform tasks such as searching for, comprehending and using information from continuous texts.

If the results of a 2013 U.S. Department of Education and National Institute of Literacy study of adult literacy in the nation are reflective of what individual counties look like, then those numbers haven’t changed much in the 10-plus years since the last NAAL.  READ MORE !

Literacy Library Jobs: California - Merced Co, Bay Area

Literacy Jobs: California

Literacy Coordinator - FT

Merced County Library

Recruit and train new volunteer tutors to deliver the Laubach curriculum

DEADLINE: Continuous

AmeriCorps: Collective Impacts Tutors – PT

CalSERVES: [SF/Oakland/S Jose]

provide focused, engaging and inspiring instruction to students during and after school.

DEADLINE: Thru Oct 2014

AmeriCorps: Team Leaders – FT

CalSERVES: [SF/Oakland/S Jose]

provide support and coaching to the AmeriCorps team at their site. Additionally, they will provide focused, engaging and inspiring instruction to students during and after school.

DEADLINE: Thru Oct 2014